I'm Calling BS: Buggies at polls-The Old Order Amish voted in droves

[kuozzman]

Anyone from Lawrence County, or near there? In a race that was won by roughly the same # Amish population, somethings fishy. Not to mention the laim quotes from Bush/Dick Rep.

NEW CASTLE, Pa. — The Old Order Amish, who populate the northern end of Lawrence County, appear to have come out to vote in droves this past election thanks to the Bush-Cheney campaign.

County election records show increases in voter registration in just about every voting precinct in the county, but those heavily populated by Amish appear to have higher-than-average numbers.

Lawrence County has about 10,000 more registered Democrats than Republicans, county elections officials say.

Bush-Cheney won the county by 410 votes, just about the number of new registered Amish voters that campaign workers say they signed up in both Lawrence and Mercer counties.

"In the spring, if it's a good day, not too many come out to vote because they are busy in the fields and can't leave their work. The fall, most of their work is finished, and some do come out to vote," said Norman DeGidio, chairman of the Lawrence County Republican Party.

Buggies at polls

[Maple]

1. Symbolic, no?

[demodonkey]

2. My Take -- From PA

Word around here is that there were only a few hundred Old Order who registered and probably less voted. They are usually VERY reluctant to get involved in stuff like this, so if even one buggy shows up at a poll (or similar "unusual" place), it's liable to cause a stir and attract more attention than warranted.

I know a few Amish and they are pretty much live and let live people... they don't approve of my "English" lifestyle, but they are friendly and will gladly take my money when I shop at their stores. If they could be lured out to vote, I would imagine it would be more on economic issues (keeping govt out of their life), etc rather than so-called "moral" ones.

Being that the Amish are so deeply against war and killing, I don't think it would be hard to convince them to stay the heck out of the GOP. Just ask them if they want to vote for THIS and then show a few photos of civilian casualties from Fallujah. The few Amish I know personally, it probably would make them go back to lurking in a big hurry, if not turn them in the direct opposite direction from Bush and his wars.

[idiosyncratic]

3. When people show up at the polls in PA do they have to show

identification?

What if their names just happened to get on the rolls and someone just happened to show up to vote for them.

Here in CA they just sentenced someone for registering people using names and addresses in the phone book. When people get paid for each registration card . . . things like that happen.

[demodonkey]

4. No, no ID required in PA except for 1st time vote at that poll

The "ID" method is that poll worker (me!) is supposed to "compare" their sign in signature with their signature on their registration (which is scanned and usuallu unreadable.) There's no way we can do it, so the "ID" is a joke.

[donachiel]

5. I agree

I wonder what the stats for the Amish here in Lycoming County and nearby Clinton county are? I ived in rural Loganton for 11 years and had many Amish friends. I agree with you that I can't see them getting overly zealous about this election.

[Patiod]

6. Kind of goes against the whole "peace church" thing nt

[Freddie Stubbs]

8. They are strongly opposed to war, but

they are also strongly opposed to abortion also. MoveOn.org and the Democratic party did not reach out to these people. The Republicans did. They do not read non-Amish newspapers and they do not watch TV. If the GOP is their only source of political news, it isn't much of a surprise that they would vote for Bush.

[benfranklin1776]

7. Do you have a link for this article?

I would like to read the rest of it.

Thanks.