Circular reasoning!!!
Posted on 10/26/2004 2:03:36 PM PDT by Kokojmudd
ASSOCIATED PRESS
PHOENIX - Voter fraud involving illegal immigrants is rare, with only a handful of people in recent years being prosecuted locally for such fraud, according to election officials.
"If we have one case a year, it's an amazement," said Karen Osborne, Maricopa County's director of elections.
While there is no question that some illegal immigrants vote, immigration experts believe the number is small because people here illegally typically don't want to expose themselves to the government.
"We really shouldn't shoot in the dark here," said Spencer Overton, a professor at George Washington University Law School in Washington, D.C. "If there's a cockroach, we don't want to use a cannon to deal with the cockroach,"
Still, supporters of Proposition 200, which would require proof of citizenship to vote, insist the initiative is needed to block illegal immigrants from the ballot box.
Backers argue that Arizona's honor-based voter registration system, which requires applicants to check boxes swearing they are U.S. citizens, is vulnerable to fraud given the state's large undocumented immigrant population.
"The system is basically set up to run on the honor system, and I don't think it works," said Kathy McKee, chairwoman of Protect Arizona Now, one of several groups backing Proposition 200.
If the measure passes Tuesday, it would require voters to show proof of their identity at the polls.
Some experts worry that attempting to keep undocumented immigrants from voting through tighter registration restrictions could end up blocking legitimate voters from exercising their rights.
It could invite discrimination and have a chilling effect on the electorate, legal experts say.
"It's important for elections to be fair and honest," said Overton. "The concern and the problem, though, is often those who push voter integrity ... ignore the impact that excessive restrictions may have on political participation by legitimate voters."
If it passes, legal experts say, Proposition 200's citizenship requirement makes it vulnerable to challenge under the Voting Rights Act of 1965, which is intended to prevent discrimination against minorities at the polls.
"This seems to be a statement that not only do we want to disenfranchise non-citizens, but we also want to send a chill throughout the community. It's not a very friendly message," said Jamin Raskin, a constitutional law professor at American University in Washington, D.C.
Vote fraud by illegal immigrants IS rare, because illegal immigrants ARE rare.
Why are you all laughing?
In Arizona, the verification is (supposed to be) done at the time of registration.
Once you are on the voter rolls, you need only show up at the polling place and sign in the book opposite your name.
All that really does is tell the County that they have a certain number of voters. As long as there is not a surplus of votes, you haven't had any fraud. Cute, isn't it?
You just described the politico/social situation here in Los Angeles, and even the non-hispanic elected politicians, mostly Democrats, pander to the hispanics. We're being outnumbered.
"very rare"...like in as rare as the truth from a politicians mouth very rare?
What's particularly astounding is that "aiding and abetting" an illegal immigrant is explicitly against federal law yet there's almost no end to public officials, immigration lawyers and other assorted apologists doing just that. How can one be breaking federal law while providing assistance to illegals without any recourse? Have we sunk so low that fed law is applicable only for some folks and not others?
Well, they do RARELY vote for republicans, and after all, that's all that matters,right?
Circular reasoning!!!
Gee.
Why do I wonder what political party the "quoted officials" are from?
Why do I wonder WHY the writer didn't mention what political party the quoted officials are from?
Doesn't the mere fact that they are illegaly voting MEAN that they are committing votor fraud? Sheesh!
No, let's "shoot in the dark"...
And if it take two "cannons," to "deal with the cockroach," well then, good riddance."
Ya beat me to it, amigos :)
Wasnt there a state law somewhere that required ID at the voting locale but was strick down as unconstitutional?
I seem to remember that happening in the last decade or so.
First-time voters who register by mail must now show ID at the polls. That is the measly token we traded everything else for in HAVA.
Another brain dead liberal legal expert, check everyone's citizenship, then there is no discrimintation. Oh and how do they know how many illegals (or legal immigrants non-citizens) vote? How do they check?
Total bull.
Tell that to Dornan.
Why would they? They know they can just come right back in a couple days later. If they live in a border state, it's even easier. No matter what crimes they committed, Vicente Fox would scream "persecution!" if we tried to adjudicate it.
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