Posted on 11/01/2008 12:19:44 PM PDT by Son House
OMAHA (KPTM) - The voting booth is supposed to be a sacred spot. The right to vote is considered the cornerstone of American democracy.
But there always seems to be someone trying to take advantage of the system. The long line outside the Douglas County Election Office isn't moving fast.
But Eileen Tighe is on an early voting mission. "If I had to sit on the concrete I would do that."
She re-registered to vote at the County Treasurers office two weeks ago when she moved. "The box was open, it didn't have a slot in it and I didn't trust that," says the longtime Omaha voter.
She's braving the long lines to make sure the Douglas County Election Office has her one and only new address, so her vote will count.
The county and state watch any red flags in the system.
"The computer is doing a lot of work for you and then we use a human being to actually look," says Douglas County Election Commissioner Dave Phipps.
But it still doesn't prevent people from trying to cheat the system.
"It is the honor system but if you break that honor system you go to jail so it's one of those things where you can do it, but you're running a terrible risk just to get one more vote."
FBI investigators say voter fraud can mean a number of things including if you can legally vote, if someone forced you to vote, if someone voted more than once or paid you to vote.
Special agents will be on duty just to handle any claims of voter fraud on Election Day.
Judy Rhodes says she too had some confusion about her early voting ballot.
"I was in Georgia with my daughter and we had asked for an early ballot and I did not receive it."
She's a little worried people may take advantage of the system.
"I hope that they are honest."
Judy ended up cutting her trip short, just to fly back home to Omaha to vote.
She says everyone should get a fair chance to cast their vote.
"It was important I voted in every election and I didn't want to wait in this one," says Rhodes.
Phipps says voter fraud is rare in Nebraska.
If you feel pressured or threatened to vote a certain way, talk to a poll worker or election office.
The fines and penalties for committing voter fraud are stiff, five years in jail and or a 10-thousand dollar fine.
Yep, Minnesota has potential for a big absentee fraud, I am going to challenge my local election judges as to proper prceedures
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