Voter fraud charge an issue in District 118:Indicted Green Party operative
By Chris Busby
PORTLAND – At first, Green Party Rep. John Eder didn’t think his opponent, Democratic Rep. Ed Suslovic, would use last week’s indictment of a Green campaign worker against Eder in the campaign for House District 118.
The worker, Ben Chipman, was indicted on a misdemeanor charge of attempting to influence a voter filling out an absentee ballot during a House campaign in Biddeford earlier this year. Campaign workers can deliver absentee ballots, but are prohibited by law from attempting to influence a voter’s decision during such interactions.
Eder was not involved in the Biddeford campaign, which also resulted in the indictment of three other Green Party campaign workers, but Chipman is his legislative aide, responsible for helping Eder with constituent services.
the September indictment of a Franklin County Reform Now employee ...
supports
the prosecution of any individual involved in voter fraud
Argus Leader
published: 07/20/2004
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Fix problems with administration of law, but now isn't time to scrap system
It's too early to think about repealing a new law requiring South Dakota voters to show photo identification at the polls.
The law was prompted after allegations of voter fraud surfaced during and after the 2002 U.S. Senate election between incumbent Democrat Tim Johnson and Republican John Thune.
Johnson was re-elected by 524 votes.
Subsequent investigations into the fraud allegations resulted in a grand jury indictment against a woman, but two weeks before the trial, the state dismissed the charges.
Lawmakers decided the state needed some additional protection to prevent possible improprieties in the future.
That's how the new voter ID law came about.
The law isn't perfect. But it's a starting point. And despite some problems at individual polling places, it's not time to scrap the idea entirely.
Under the statute, all voters must show a photo ID when they go to the polls. Voters who don't have a photo ID are asked to sign an affidavit swearing to their identity under penalty of perjury.