Posted on 06/29/2004 9:31:12 AM PDT by rface
The chairman of the Republican National Committee on Monday called for a bipartisan effort to safeguard polling locations in Missouri and other presidential battleground states against voter fraud.
But a group helping Democrat John Kerry's campaign called the proposal as a “very cynical attempt” to suppress black voter turnout in the state by undermining groups that are working to increase black registration.
While visiting Kansas City, Republican Party Chairman Ed Gillespie cited allegations that groups such as America Coming Together were turning in inaccurate voter registration forms and using convicted felons to go door to door. A spokeswoman for the group called both accusations insignificant.
Gillespie said the allegations underscored the potential for fraud as a “legitimate concern in the upcoming elections.” He outlined a “transparent bipartisan solution” that would involve listing, with Democratic National Committee Chairman Terry McAuliffe, precincts in presidential battleground states where problems might surface.
The two parties would assign volunteers to observe each precinct in addition to the already assigned voting judges from both parties. Members of the news media could stand alongside the teams to watch the voting unfold.
The added safeguard would help assure fair elections, Gillespie said. He distributed a June 15 letter he had sent to McAuliffe outlining his plan, but a Democratic Party spokesman said he could not confirm that McAuliffe had received it.
“I can certainly assure you that if there is a political party in this country committed to ensuring that every vote be counted…it's the Democratic Party,” spokesman Jano Cabrera said.
Sara Howard, a spokeswoman for America Coming Together, defended the voter registration efforts, saying less than 2 percent of the forms submitted had been rejected by a St. Louis election board.
Howard said about a dozen of the group's canvassers in Missouri had felony convictions out of the nearly 100 working for the group. She said none had been convicted of a violent crime, and they pose no threat to the public. The group has begun screening its employees.
“It's pretty clear they are trying to raise questions about the validity of our organization,” Howard said of the Republicans.
Since the "minority" vote for Republicans is so miniscule, who cares if they scream racism? Will that convince swing voters to go RAT?
Get out the video camera and follow the union bus from polling place to polling place. Document how (or if) ID checks are handled. Read and heed my tag line!
Thats if it is even legal to ask for ID. In NC it is ILLEGAL to ask for an ID. Intimidates minorities don't you know.
First off, everyone stop it. You are assuming that the race is going to be as tight as it was in 2000.
This race is going to be a Reagan/Mondale. There are not enough people in this country to commit the voter fraud of the magnitude the RATS are hoping to achieve.
If the RATS break out the attorneys and start the crap they started in 2000 and they lose, Hillary's chances will fade. Gillespie, Rove & co are setting the RATS up for a fall big time. The RATS saying no to monitoring is a knock on Kerry and will be exploited. Gillespie wanted them to say no so that he can say, "see, they want it like Florida again."
It will not even get to this. Bush is winning 45 states.
When a Demorat says he's a man of convictions, he means he's out on parole.
Exactly right. Voter fraud is mother's milk to RATS. And they go ballistic when called on it.
If republicans push this issue, Kerry will simply say Bush and company are racist. It's disgusting.
I absolutely agree, to the point that Bush won the popular vote in 2000.
As I have been saying, there is no way that Bush can win in PA with Ed Rendell in the govenor's mansion. As mayor of Philadelphia, Rendell oversaw the over 100% voter turn out in some precincts, with a 90% Gore vote. Bush was ahead until late in the count when the remarkable numbers from these precincts were returned.
Phila hired a man to write the program for their touch screen machines that already served time in another state for voter fraud, and then sold the same machines to Montgomery County, which turned in similar pro-Gore votes.
The 'rats are going to play the race card regardless of whether the Pubbies call for poll watchers or not. I'd bet my life on it.
The GOP needs to do what they have to do to ensure a fair vote...period.
-PJ
That is insane! Why would a properly registered individual be intimidated by an ID check? Are we saying that minorities are more likely to lie about their identity? What a totally racist supposition!
Let me guess; a RAT legislature passed that one???
Agreed, by at least a half million.
I think this election will be almost as close as 2000. Ther simply aren't enough swing voters left in the country to produce a Reagan/Mondale landslide.
It would make me sick if the PA election is tipped by Philadelphia voter fraud.
Gee, that signature sure looks like "John Smith" to me, go on in.
“I can certainly assure you that if there is a political party in this country committed to ensuring that every (dead person's) vote be counted…(several times) it's the Democratic Party,” spokesman Jano Cabrera said
Sadly I live in a place where there is no need whatsoever, nor any advantage to be gained, for Democrats to conduct vote fraud. I have been a poll observer here before and the operations appeared to be without irregularities.
Ferget about it, RNC. Democrat Party Operatives from Wisconsin to South Dakota to Florida to Illinois live to commit voter fraud. I am certain the groundwork is being laid right now to get the dead, the felonious, the pets and the mentally incompetent to vote in massive numbers for the party of Hitlery Clinton.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.