Posted on 10/26/2004 6:20:18 PM PDT by 11th_VA
MIAMI Florida election officials will not be required to process incomplete voter registration forms for the presidential election, a federal judge ruled Tuesday.
U.S. District Judge James Lawrence King said the three prospective voters for whom the lawsuit was filed did not have the legal standing to pursue the case, which was backed by the AFL-CIO. But he gave the union group a chance to file a new version of the lawsuit next month with people who meet the standard.
That leaves the AFL-CIO and the Advancement Project, a social action group, on the losing side of an attempt to force election officials to accept applications from people who failed to check a citizenship box on registration forms in time for the Nov. 2 election.
Sheila Thomas, an attorney with the Washington-based Advancement Project, said the plaintiffs were considering an appeal. The group argued that the rejections had a disparate effect on minorities. Nearly 45 percent of the challenged forms in one county, Duval, came from blacks.
"Our goal is still to see if we can get relief for our clients before Election Day," she said.
The decision is the latest from courts across the state that rejected attempts to broaden voter rights on touch-screen recounts, provisional ballots and early voting.
"Once again, federal and state laws are very clear on which sections of the voter registration forms have to be filled out to deem that application complete," said Alia Faraj, spokeswoman for Secretary of State Glenda Hood.
She also said the state recognized that it was a procedural move by the judge, who left the unions and other groups options to come back to court later.
Applicants filling out registration cards are required to sign a form that, among other things, attests to U.S. citizenship, but the form also has a separate box to be checked by citizens.
The union coalition sued Hood and election supervisors in Duval, Orange, Palm Beach, Broward and Miami-Dade counties.
This is big! Every vote counts (only legal ones that is...).
It's great news. It's simple, people. I moved to Carson City, NV. I went to the courthouse in the county seat, Douglas County, and then I registered to vote.
I showed up and voted early on the appropriate day and at the appropriate place. It really isn't too hard. Of course, we are talking about liberals.
big victory for justice
Well if they are too stupid to fill out a simple voter registration card, then they got what they deserved on this one.
This is the third victory in the courts for good sense at the polls in the last two days.
Add this one to the decisions in Ohio and Florida that refuse the Democrats demand for paper ballots to go along with the electronic record to make recounts more likely.
Again, another victory for COMMON SENSE! Thank goodness!
what needs to be hammered home is that every time someone votes illegally or votes more than once, it disenfranchises me!!! and millions of other law abiding citizens.
LW Moonbats and Union thugs can go pound sand.
Interesting that Federal law requires ID. I changed the address on my voter registration by phone in 2002. Just to be on the safe side I picked up a voter registration card at the post office and mailed it in to follow up my phone call. I remained in the same state and county, but did change residences and the town in which I live. I did not have to mail in a copy of my ID, or provide it in person.
I forgot to mention that I am in Oregon where everyone votes by absentee ballot.
Judge James Lawrence King was a Nixon appointee.
"The stoops in our district have been intimidated by the little boxes on those forms, they were confused when they saw TWO check boxes, it reminded them of chiclets and then they thought, "Mmmmmm, chiclets"....(drool like Homer)...and they forgot their names."
"Therefore they call a do-over".
Yes, I was quite surprised!!
Here's the info:
VOTING LAW CHANGES FOR 2004
The federal Help America Vote Act of 2002 will change some voter registration procedures to be followed in the primary. These specify the identification documents accepted when voters register to vote, identification requirements for first-time voters and procedures to follow when a voter's name does not appear on the voter rolls on Election Day.
The following summarizes significant features of the upcoming election.
New Identification Requirements
For Voter Registration or Re-Registration
The federal Help America Vote Act of 2002 specifies the identification documents accepted when voters register to vote, identification requirements for first-time voters and procedures to follow when a voter's name does not appear on the voter rolls on Election Day.
It is now necessary to include the driver's license number, the Department of Motor Vehicles ID number or the last four digits of the individual's Social Security number on a new Voter Registration Card when voters register or re-register to vote.
For First-Time Voters
First-time voters must provide identification when they first register to vote.
If first-time voters registered to vote by mail after January 1, 2003 did not provide a copy of acceptable identification when requesting an absentee ballot for a federal election, they must provide identification when they return the absentee ballot. Absentee ballots may be returned at the polls or by mail.
Worried that our servicemen and women's votes will be thrwn out if a single i isn't dotted on the outside :( Can't the President make an EXECUTIVE ORDER about NOT disenfranchising the service vote?
So that they can beat up Republicans with them when convenient.
And the Constitution doesn't promise equal protection from one's own stupidity. Once again, the left pursues a line of argument that presumes african-americans are stupid and unable to perform at standard levels.
It amazes me at the utter gall of lawyers to support law breakers and idiots who flaunt their idiocy without shame and then cry about it when someone actuals tells them they need to follow the rules or not be allowed to play! Trial Lawyers are scum sucking bottom feeders in the pool of humanity!
Nearly 45 percent of the challenged forms in one county, Duval, came from blacks.
This is just another Jesse Jackson magnet!
You can't disenfranchised by illegal voting. You, of course, are a law abiding citizen. Only liberal and liberal minorities can be disenfranchised. Everyone else must take it in the proverbial dual registration rear.
"Our goal is still to see if we can get relief for our clients before Election Day," she said."
This lawyer could easily collect their plaintiffs information if it's legitimate and have these supposed union members registered to vote tomorrow if there's any substance to this charge, you realize that?
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