Naming Names - Ads in the Voting Booth!

Main Street Radical ^ | 11/2/2010 | Rachel Land

[mainstreetradical.com]

Before Election Day 2010 actually arrived, there were outcries, small scattered protests that things were not quite right. This happens nearly every election cycle as irregularities and mistakes can occur. However this time was different. There were reports out of Nevada, in current Majority Leader Harry Reid’s district that the ballots, which were incidentally (or maybe coincidentally) handled by non other than SEIU, and already filled out for Harry Reid. In Pennsylvania, Philadelphia County to be exact, hundreds of thousands of absentee and military ballots were never even mailed! Still many more reported missing the deadlines for sending out ballots or even adding candidates and other legislative measures, even though they were submitted on time. In Chicago, many polling places opened late, and then there were still problems with machines tallying incorrectly. Curious though, how all these “irregularities” seem to be beneficial for one party. http://www.wbez.org/story/news/politics/chicago-election-irregularities-reported Whorush: 6 sites by this AdSense ID

When one reads reports like these, the thought is that happens in really corrupt districts, not here. Not in my town. Well, it does happen here and it is in our own backyard. It happened to me today in my own private ballot box and I’m tired of it. In fact I’m angry not only that it happened (and not too subtly) but that when I sought the appropriate means of complaint, it was pretty much met with the least amount of interest possible; a sort of nonchalant air that maybe they’d look into it, maybe not.

Here is what happened: Upon arriving in a Maricopa County voting facility, I showed my ID, signed the appropriate box by my name and received my color coded ballot. I then found an empty booth and placed my votes. I had brought my own voter guide sheet with me, which I filled out in advance, since there were so many important propositions in this cycle. That is when I noticed in my booth were multiple, glossy ads all for one very specific person, who just so happened to be on the ballot.

I finished voting and took the offending and illegally placed ads to the official by the scanner and informed her that this was in my booth and that it was certainly not okay for that to be in there. She agreed and threw it away. I mentioned that they could be in other booths and that would also be very wrong, and that someone should check. Watching as I was leaving, no one checked. I called AZ Clean Elections as soon as I returned home; they couldn’t help me nor were they interested. They told me to contact the Candidate Recorders Office. Ten minutes on hold got me nowhere; no one there was interested and I was referred to the Secretary of State’s office. More waiting, more transfers till someone could help. They asked which county and at which polling place and said they would send someone to verify. The question was never asked, who was it? What candidate put the offending ads in the booth? In a bizarre twist, I was questioned! Did I bring them in? How did I know that someone else (not related to the candidate) put it there?

Surely this was a joke? It is well know that no campaigning materials are to be near or in the polling site. Maybe if I were dressed in military garb, holding a club and threatening voters, then they’d investigate. . . ah, never mind! http://blog.heritage.org/2010/07/21/the-new-black-panther-party-evidence-on-voter-intimidation/

So, because I believe in freedom of speech and because if a candidate or group supporting such a candidate has enough disrespect for law and procedure to try a stunt like this, I will help them out and name names. Sherry Williams (D), candidate for Clerk of Court had ads, big, loud and glossy all over the inside of my voting booth

[wmileo]

I have been watching FOX News(no point in wasting my time with the alphabet networks). I don’t see the tidal wave yet but it is early.