IS CALIFORNIA TRYING TO DISENFRANCHISE REPUBLICAN VOTERS?

GOPportal.com ^ | 3/5/02 | GOPportal.com

[Redcloak]

Just think of it as "getting to know your fellow Republicans" rather than being stuck in a queue.

[codebreaker]

Time for action!

[vannrox]

IS CALIFORNIA TRYING TO DISENFRANCHISE REPUBLICAN VOTERS?


(Los Angeles) - On the day of one of the most hotly-contested primaries in history, Republicans are being told to stand in line in order to exercise their right to vote. This is because many precincts have more voting booths set up for Democrats than for Republicans. Sometimes up to four times as many!


"This is outrageous," said one voter outside the precinct. "There were four completely empty Democratic booths and I had to stand in line for over 15 minutes for the single Republican booth. If I'd had to wait any longer, I would have had to leave without voting, or I'd have been late for work."


While many precincts have two-to-one Democratic registration, the turn-out was expected to very heavy for Republicans, who are voting in one of the most closely-watched campaigns in the country. Conservative Republican Bill Simon is running against moderate Republican Richard Riordan, the former mayor of Los Angeles. While Riordan's nomination was expected to be a lock, recent polls have shown Simon gaining a slight lead.


Some political analysts have said that if California nominates the conservative, pro-life Simon, it could be a harbinger for the fall elections, where Democrats are already having trouble finding a central issue. Recent polls have shown the number of voters defining themselves as "Republican" rising over those defining themselves as "Democrat."


In California today, the Democratic turnout was expected to very low since current Governor Gray Davis will be the party's nominee in November and there are no big ballot initiatives that have captured the attention of the voters.


Still, many precincts are set up to take care of more Democrats than are actually showing up, while Republicans must stand in line to exercise our country's most sacred right...the act of voting.

[Phantom Lord]

Lets get a dead man and an unregistered voter to file with the court to keep the polling places open longer because of trouble voting and long lines.

Hey, worked for the democrats in St. Louis in 2000!

[Court]

Exactly what would be said if the tables were turned.......

[StopDemocratsDotCom]

[Metal4Ever]

I was forced to do a write in ballot this year. I hate write in ballots. Ok, who out there made sure they had no hanging, dangling, or pregnant chads?

[TheDon]

Exactly what is the difference between a R and a D voting booth? Sounds like someone is pulling someone's leg.

[tallhappy]

Exactly what is the difference between a R and a D voting booth? Sounds like someone is pulling someone's leg.

Don't know, but they have them.

I had no line at all at about 9:30 AM.

[BillaryBeGone]

If they have the older pull-lever voting booths, it's entirely possible that the ballots can't be changed inside the booth that easily.

[nocommies]

very true, but the headline asks " is california trying to disenfranchise repub voters?" do we really have to ask? when they allow and encourage illegal alien intruders from mexico to vote and of course, to vote democrat, it effectively disenfranchises republican voters who even did cast a ballot. every illegal vote neutralizes a republican vote. and as i might add again, the repub vote was LEGAL!!

[Antoninus]

Hey CA conservatives! If Rear-dan is really just a Democrat in a Republican t-shirt, be careful that he doesn't use Democrat election dirty tricks as well.... Stay alert!

[rllngrk33]

"This is outrageous," said one voter outside the precinct. "There were four completely empty Democratic booths and I had to stand in line for over 15 minutes for the single Republican booth. If I'd had to wait any longer, I would have had to leave without voting, or I'd have been late for work."

Excersising your constitutional rights is more important than getting to work on time. This idiot probably spends more time waiting in line to buy lottery tickets without a peep. Get Him a WAAAAAAAHmbulance

Some people have their priorities all wrong.

[monkeyshine]

This was the case where I voted. When I walked in, there were at least 25 booths, and the guy said "Republican, use only one of the first 2 booths with the orange book". I think these booths were also for the "unaffiliated" voters, too... because the first question in the ballot was only for "unaffiliated voters" to select a party preference for Gov. Fortunately, there was no lines.

To make matters worse, they also switches polling places on me. I went to the place I have voted for 14 years, and they told me I was in the wrong place. They were courteous and sent me 200 ft up the street, and when I got there the folks told me that many people who used to vote in my new place were being told to go to the other place. It made no sense and everyone seemed to be upset about the changes.

[stand watie]

NOPE, just ALL conservatives.

for dixie,sw

[JoeMomma]

Exactly what is the difference between a R and a D voting booth?

If they use the old lever machines, they have a number of booths for R primary and another number of booths for D primary, more than llikely depending on the Presidential turnout in the last election. Just the way the machines are made.

I wish the handful of Republicans would quit whining about this, though. If you over go to other nations, people stand in line to vote for much longer than any American ever would. We're spoiled on this side of the ocean and we don't appreciate our ability to freely vote. We're complaining about long lines? I'd say we have it good here in the States.

Don't whine. Just get in there and vote and watch Bill Simon win later tonite.

[sultan88]

In a primary election, there is a ballot for the democrats and a different ballot for the republicans. Registered democrats vote in the democrat booth. Registered republicans in the republican booth.

Considering that there is more interest in the republican primary in California this year, you'd a thought they would have more republican booths set up, if nothing else, to make it easier on the election officials.

[Inspectorette]

We're going after work tonight - I will definitely ask why separate booths if that is the case in my precinct. You should be able to use whichever booth you want - as long as your ballot goes into the proper box, which should be separated according to party.

[jcsmonogram]

Exactly what is the difference between a R and a D voting booth? Sounds like someone is pulling someone's leg.

In this primary, only Republicans and unaffiliated voters can vote for the Republican candidates. The same is true for the Dems, Greens, Libs and other assorted nuts. A Republican booth is one with a booklet that is attached with the Republican candidates listed, and a Democratic booth has the Dems listed, etc. These booths aren't interchangeable.