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How Katrina Will Change LA Politics
wafb.com ^ | 09/30/05 | Marie Centanni

Posted on 10/01/2005 7:36:32 AM PDT by Ellesu

The sting of Katrina's blow to southeast Louisiana will be felt for years to come. The culture, the economy, the community will be changed forever. But what about the politics? Campaigns could soon head out of state to catch up with evacuees.

For decades in Louisiana, democrats have counted on the same tightly-knit block of voters to seal their victories -- the Ninth Ward.

"The Ninth Ward elected Kathleen Blanco, the Ninth Ward elected Mary Landrieu, the Ninth Ward has elected a lot of statewide elected officials who are democrats," says political consultant Roy Fletcher.

Fletcher says with residents of the Ninth Ward and similar communities dispersed throughout the country, Katrina has transformed Louisiana politics, uprooting the standard party strategies for statewide elections. The first dilemma facing state parties -- what to do with out of state voters?

"Democrats will take the position that folks who used to live in Louisiana and that have been temporarily displaced can vote. Republicans will probably take the position of 'no, that's not right, they're not in the state, and many are permanently gone, so therefore we can't do that.' "

One of those democrats, although he hasn't declared candidacy, is acting Secretary of State Al Ater, who's already had to postpone elections in areas hit by Katrina and Rita. He says he'll ask FEMA to help reach out of state voters with this message:

"They don't have to register over there, they don't have to not be registered here, and that doesn't mean they can't participate in elections here," says Ater.

That means out-of-state campaigning for candidates, fundraising like never before for political parties, and for the evacuees, possibly electing with mostly absentee ballots the very leaders who will help them return home.

Secretary of State Al Ater has postponed elections in southeast and southwest Louisiana, but the New Orleans city-wide elections are just a few months away. He tells 9 News every election will be evaluated case by case to make sure everyone who is eligible to vote has the opportunity to do so.


TOPICS: Crime/Corruption; Government; News/Current Events; Politics/Elections; US: Louisiana
KEYWORDS: elections; katrina; louisianapolitics; voterfraud
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1 posted on 10/01/2005 7:36:32 AM PDT by Ellesu
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To: LA Woman3

ping


2 posted on 10/01/2005 7:36:57 AM PDT by Ellesu (www.thedeadpelican.com)
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To: Ellesu
"The Ninth Ward elected Kathleen Blanco, the Ninth Ward elected Mary Landrieu, the Ninth Ward has elected a lot of statewide elected officials who are democrats," says political consultant Roy Fletcher.

So they got what they deserved?

3 posted on 10/01/2005 7:43:41 AM PDT by neodad (Rule Number 1: Be Armed)
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To: Ellesu

Being dead or non-human has never stopped Democrats from voting before, I am sure this will eventually turn into an opportunity for the 9th ward demos to vote on behalf of all the displaced voters without the need to actually locate them.


4 posted on 10/01/2005 7:45:09 AM PDT by comitatus
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To: Ellesu
"They don't have to register over there, they don't have to not be registered here, and that doesn't mean they can't participate in elections here," says Ater.

Thanks for clearing that up ...

5 posted on 10/01/2005 7:45:56 AM PDT by John Jorsett (scam never sleeps)
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To: John Jorsett

I've been scratching my head over that "message" for at least a minute.


6 posted on 10/01/2005 7:49:51 AM PDT by Dog Gone
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To: Ellesu
"They don't have to register over there, they don't have to not be registered here, and that doesn't mean they can't participate in elections here," says Ater.

Forgot to add - they don't even have to exist.

7 posted on 10/01/2005 7:50:02 AM PDT by ncountylee (Dead terrorists smell like victory)
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To: Ellesu

Anyone who thinks the Republicans will win the fight over whether Ninth Ward refugees can vote, or dead people continue to vote, in Louisiana is out of his skull. The Democrats always win these little legal scuffles, because they are terminally motivated, while the Republicans are nice and polite and deferential to the judges, who no doubt are all Democrats.


8 posted on 10/01/2005 7:52:37 AM PDT by Cicero (Marcus Tullius)
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To: Ellesu
For decades in Louisiana, democrats have counted on the same tightly-knit block of voters to seal their victories -- the Ninth Ward.

No wonder the Dem politicians have been so panicked at having to get the refugee/evacuees back into the city. The flock has scattered.

9 posted on 10/01/2005 7:53:23 AM PDT by not_apathetic_anymore
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To: ncountylee

It is a very interesting question. I wonder what the law says. What is the residency requirement for voting?


10 posted on 10/01/2005 7:55:43 AM PDT by ClaireSolt (.)
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To: ClaireSolt

http://www.sos.louisiana.gov/elections/elect-regist.htm


11 posted on 10/01/2005 8:03:55 AM PDT by ncountylee (Dead terrorists smell like victory)
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To: Ellesu
The Ninth Ward elected Kathleen Blanco, the Ninth Ward elected Mary Landrieu, the Ninth Ward has elected a lot of statewide elected officials who are democrats,"

Well, I hope that they've taken the same opportunity enjoyed by the rest of the American taxpayers to reflect on the wisdom of their choices.

12 posted on 10/01/2005 8:04:47 AM PDT by aBootes
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To: Ellesu
He tells 9 News every election will be evaluated case by case to make sure everyone who is eligible to vote has the opportunity to do so.

Oh, you can bet they will...

13 posted on 10/01/2005 8:09:50 AM PDT by mtbopfuyn (Legality does not dictate morality... Lavin)
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To: ClaireSolt
It is a very interesting question. I wonder what the law says. What is the residency requirement for voting?

I've wondered about that too. How long do you have to absent from your residence, assuming it still exists, before you become ineligible to vote in local elections?
My daughter moved from LA to AZ a year ago. She has an AZ address and drivers license. Even though she still occasionally receives mail here, she's not a legal resident and can't vote in local elections ;).
It will be interesting to see how this all plays out. One thing you can be certain of, if you thought you've seen democrat shenanigans before, you ain't seen nothing yet!

14 posted on 10/01/2005 8:11:40 AM PDT by Klatuu
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To: ClaireSolt
I wonder what the law says

Like that matters? /sarc

15 posted on 10/01/2005 8:11:41 AM PDT by not_apathetic_anymore
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To: ClaireSolt
It is a very interesting question. I wonder what the law says. What is the residency requirement for voting?

LAW???? We don't need no stinking LAW . . . we're Democrats!

16 posted on 10/01/2005 8:12:43 AM PDT by Charlemagne on the Fox
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To: ncountylee

Thanks for the link.


17 posted on 10/01/2005 8:15:01 AM PDT by mtbopfuyn (Legality does not dictate morality... Lavin)
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To: Ellesu
"The Ninth Ward elected Kathleen Blanco, the Ninth Ward elected Mary Landrieu, the Ninth Ward has elected a lot of statewide elected officials who are democrats," says political consultant Roy Fletcher."

And so goes the quote, "Good or bad, people deserve the government that they have."

18 posted on 10/01/2005 8:15:10 AM PDT by DJ Taylor (Once again our country is at war, and once again the Democrats have sided with our enemy.)
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To: Charlemagne on the Fox
So true. Recall the 2002 election of NJ Senator Frank Lautenberg!
19 posted on 10/01/2005 8:18:25 AM PDT by octobersky
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To: mtbopfuyn

Yeah, they just might find a lot of them, but can they find all of them, or enough of them? I think this situation is unique. Questions really need to be asked. If some of these folks have established residency requirements elsewhere, who will keep them from voting in both their old home and their new home? If they have a job, can it seriously be expected they will go back "home" at some point? And why do they get to vote someplace they don't live? And as a previous poster said, can they truly be such dunderheads to vote for these assholes again? Why would they even care? They don't live their now. How will the recipient communities react to this new kinda carpetbagging? Seems to me that in the really red areas, those idiots might be laughed at, they really are pretty funny if this whole thing were'nt so pathetic


20 posted on 10/01/2005 8:19:18 AM PDT by SaintDismas (Jest becuz you put yer boots in the oven, don't make it bread)
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