Obama Campaign Sues Michigan Repubican Party Over Proposed "Lose Your Home, Lose Your Vote" Tactic

[tekisui]

http://civilliberty.about.com/b/2008/09/22/obama-campaign-sues-michigan-repubican-party-over-proposed-lose-your-home-lose-your-vote-tactic.htm

Last Tuesday, the Obama campaign filed suit to prevent Michigan Republicans from instituting a controversial voter challenge program:

"We will have a list of foreclosed homes and will make sure people aren't voting from those addresses," Mr. Carabelli was quoted as saying, according to a Sept. 10 article in the Michigan Messenger.

Since the story first appeared, Mr. Carabelli has repeatedly denied that the party planned to use the lists, and in an interview with The New York Times suggested that he was misquoted.

"I have no voter challenging program here in my county," Mr. Carabelli said late last week.

And in a statement on the Michigan G.O.P. Web site the chairman of the Michigan Republican Party Saul Anuzis called the story "a complete fabrication."

"There has never been a plan to use foreclosure lists to challenge voters. There is no such plan, and there never will be such a plan. Period," Mr. Anuzis said.

But statements regarding the nonexistence of "programs" and "plans" aside (and one certainly wouldn't need an established "program" or "plan" to institute this proposal), I can find no statement by a Michigan Republican Party official to the effect that lists of foreclosed homes will not be used to challenge voter status.

Such a strategy would unquestionably be beneficial for the GOP in Michigan, a closely divided swing state with a 14% black population. Obama and McCain are statistically tied in most Michigan polls, and the state could very well play the same role this year that Florida played in 2000. African-American voters and low-income voters tend to vote Democratic, and estimates hold that approximately 60% of home foreclosures have been filed against African Americans. While two-thirds of those affected by foreclosures still live in (and may therefore still legally vote from) their foreclosed addresses, use of this policy in targeted areas--say, Detroit--could delay voting for everyone in the relevant precincts, contribute to the long lines that already drive away voters in urban areas, and ultimately tip the scales for McCain in Michigan (which would perhaps be enough to give him the presidency).

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[loyalkydem]

1. First rule of law

Lie until they prove you are lying

[mucifer]

2. Is he suing in all the states that are caging or just Michigan?

[voteearlyvoteoften]

3. Campaign your ass off this week

Now is the time. Do your part. Send money. Phone bank. Register to vote. Put on a bumpersticker. Do it some more. Get the job done.

[blondie58]

4. yep, that is right- that is what Obama advocated

as this is OUR election. Welcome to DU voteearlyvoteoften!