Posted on 11/03/2007 8:59:48 PM PDT by neverdem
TROY - The Rensselaer County Legislature Republican majority warned the county Board of Elections commissioners Tuesday about the possibility of illegal immigrants registering to vote following implementation of Gov. Eliot Spitzer's plan to allow undocumented immigrants to apply for driver's licenses.
The possible loophole cannot affect the coming Nov. 6 elections because the Oct. 12 registration cutoff has passed, and Spitzer's plan would not start issuing licenses until December at the earliest, but skeptics say that it is in time for the upcoming 2008 presidential race, in which New York is expected to play a starring role.
The directive issued Tuesday by the Legislature's Republican leadership orders the Board of Elections commissioners and staff to request a Social Security card or number from anyone registering to vote if there is any suspicion that the person is in the country illegally.
"We're asking that if anybody comes in with a driver's license as their ID card and there's a reason to be suspicious to take the extra step, which is not being done now, to ask for their Social Security number," said Richard Crist, a spokesman for the Republican Majority. "We are expecting that there's going to be people trying to fraudulently register to vote." However, Edward McDonough, the Democratic Board of Elections commissioner, called the move a political stunt and said that the Legislature has not asked the board to do anything that it doesn't already do.
"Basically, they're asking us to do our job, which is what we do anyway," said McDonough. "That's one of the new requirements to vote, supply us with your last four digits of your social or your New York state driver's license number.
"This letter to me was just more of a political statement," he added.
The granting of licenses to illegal immigrants is a problem because that would allow them to satisfy that second requirement of a driver's license number in lieu of a Social Security number, said Crist. Spitzer's plan would allow people without a Social Security number to obtain a license, which was a requirement under previous policy.
"If they're going to issue illegal aliens driver's licenses, they can use that to register," said Crist. "And it's just in time for the most important election in the last four years."
At issue is the 2008 presidential race in which Democratic U.S. Sen. Hillary Clinton and former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani, a Republican, are both favored candidates. The result could be a political fistfight for New York's chunk of electoral votes in the general election next year if both Clinton and Giuliani win their parties' nominations. Critics of the plan by Spitzer, a Democrat, have accused the governor of opening the door to potential illegal voters who are more likely to side with Clinton.
Rensselaer County Clerk Frank Merola, who filed a lawsuit Monday against the state Department of Motor Vehicles and its commissioner seeking to prevent the issuance of licenses to illegal immigrants, said he realized the potential for voter fraud when he received a directive from the DMV on Oct. 19.
The directive said the DMV removed a firewall in the computer system for processing "motor-voter" registrations, in which applicants for driver's licenses can also register to vote, allowing a clerk to access "motor-voter" registration before an applicant's Social Security number is confirmed, said Merola.
"The protection that was there is gone. It's gone," he said. "So now all we can do is register everybody that comes into the office.
"Of course, the reason you're going to 'motor-voter' is to register as many people as they can to vote," he added. "That's the bottom line."
The end result, Merola said, is that anyone with only a New York state driver's license could potentially register to vote and that if Spitzer offers licenses to illegal immigrants, that it would open the flood gates. One solution offered by Merola, who has refused to issue any driver's licenses to illegal immigrants, would be to give undocumented immigrants a different type of license than other New Yorkers.
Debates have raged over the issue of security and terrorism following Spitzer's proposal, with critics arguing that the plan would make New York more vulnerable to terrorists.
Spitzer has argued that the plan would inevitably increase security and fight terrorism by bringing illegal immigrants out of the shadows and into the system, where their addresses, photos and other information could be accessed.
bump for later
Without vote fraud, the democrats are finito.
“Why all states should prohibit the issuance of drivers’ licenses and “driving certificates” to illegal aliens”
From 9\11 FAMILIES FOR A SECURE AMERICA
http://www.911fsafoundation.org/issues/drivers_licenses.html
Thanks for the link.
This isn’t about the presidential election at all. This is about the Rats wanting to grab control of the state senate, which is the only thing keeping this state from going into a complete state of anarchy.
Of course, they did purge the dead from the voter rolls after the last election. That could be causing a few Dems to be a little afraid of what actual results might be if they don’t cheat. I still don’t think Rudy would be at all competitive in NY at all. Frankly, the idea is laughable.
POLS FEAR VOTING FRAUD IN SPITZER'S LICENSE PLAN
Illegals applying for licenses risk being arrested (New York, Spitzer plan)
Dutchess Legislature vote: Rethink driver's license policy
Spitzer plan on drivers licenses needs to protect against voter fraud
Spineless Democrats The potential for voter fraud across the state seems to be fairly well covered except by El Diario. Things that make you go hmmm.
FReepmail me if you want on or off my New York ping list. Anyone can post any unposted link as they see fit except the Poughkeepsie Journal.
Thanks for the ping!
Electoral College or the NY State Senate, they want power at any price. Why do you think Hillary proposed to eliminate the Electoral College and go by popular vote?
Of course, they did purge the dead from the voter rolls after the last election. That could be causing a few Dems to be a little afraid of what actual results might be if they don’t cheat. I still don’t think Rudy would be at all competitive in NY at all. Frankly, the idea is laughable.
Never underestimate your enemies, but a year is along time in politics. After 12 years of Mario Cuomo, Pataki won campaigning as a Conservative.
Vote fraud by illegals in Virginia more than made up the 9000 vote difference that gave Webb a victory over Allen and made the Democrats the Senate majority.
Especially in northern Virginia, illegals were being signed up at registration tables at Hispanic festivals and at markets and malls heavily frequented by illegals.
You saw Califonia turned into a foreign country. You saw Harry Reid put in power by illegals. So do you still want open borders so you don’t have to cut your grass?
And this is why Hillary is for licensing crimaliens. She might actually lose New York if Guiliani is on the ticket. The reason we are hearing more about Bernie Kerik now is because Hillary wants to damage Guiliani to the point where he won’t be on the ticket.
VOTE FRAUD for DEMOCRATS is like breathing air...it's what keeps them in power!!
Biometrics.
Somebody in the Senate or House needs to work on closing the REAL ID loophole that Spitzer is attempting to exploit. Let’s see the democrats publicly work against 80% of the people in defense of their fraudulent voters.
Why take away their only chance of getting elected again?
/s
The result could be a political fistfight for New York's chunk of electoral votes in the general election next year if both Clinton and Giuliani win their parties' nominations.Much ado about nothing.
The fact is that Rooty has worn out his welcome in NYC and the state. New York's 31 EC votes are Hillary's (or any Dem) - period.
“Without vote fraud, the democrats are finito.”
If they cannot cheat, they cannot win.
Watch Ohio in 2008. They thought they had it in 2004. That’s why with Bush up 118,000 votes and Republican districts not yet reporting they called the state green.
“We’re asking that if anybody comes in with a driver’s license as their ID card and there’s a reason to be suspicious to take the extra step, which is not being done now, to ask for their Social Security number,” said Richard Crist, a spokesman for the Republican Majority. “We are expecting that there’s going to be people trying to fraudulently register to vote.” However, Edward McDonough, the Democratic Board of Elections commissioner, called the move a political stunt and said that the Legislature has not asked the board to do anything that it doesn’t already do.
THAT is EXACTLY WHAT DEMONCRATS WANT to happen!
Since when is there an HONEST liberal?
In the state that nurtured Boss Tweed, Roscoe Conkling, and Adam Clayton Powell, we never worry about voter fraud. Go back to sleep.
Please elucidate. "Green"? Why green, what's that mean?
And with Bush up, and Republican boxes being the ones still out, an ordinary person would call the state for the GOP in a walkover.
Is that a trick question?
Given the chance, she'd eliminate the Constitution and just proclaim herself President-for-Life.
The American people should be reminded of that every time Spitzer opens his mouth and the Beast says it makes sense.
“And with Bush up, and Republican boxes being the ones still out, an ordinary person would call the state for the GOP in a walkover.”
That’s correct. But CNN didn’t call the state for Bush until the next day. You either get Blue(RAT) or Red(Repub). Green was a “tossup”. But no one said anything about Wisconsin(Kerry up 11,000) How come that wasn’t green?
CNN was so wishing for a Bush loss.
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