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1,000 Republican Students Denied Right to Vote
Generation GOP - Arkansas ^ | Oct. 22, 2002

Posted on 10/24/2002 2:35:49 PM PDT by Ragtime Cowgirl


1,000 Republican Students Denied Right to Vote

Posted Tuesday, October 22, 2002 | Email a Comment

Student Voter Rights Denied By Clark County Judge
Democrats to Blame for Disenfranchisement of Registered Voters

Arkadelphia, AR In what is perhaps one of the most egregious acts of voter disenfranchisement in Arkansas history, Judge John A. Thomas a Clark County circuit judge today issued a decision to prohibit registered students from voting who attend Ouachita Baptist University and Henderson State University. The decision comes after a complaint was filed by Floyd Thomas Curry, an Arkadelphia resident and the son of a local Democratic candidate.

"We are absolutely outraged by this decision that will leave hundreds of students without a place to vote and without a voice," said Bryant F. Adams, political director of Generation GOP and a leader in the Ouachita Baptist College Republican organization. "This will not stand - the students and the state will not let this stand."

Students at Ouachita Baptist University and Henderson State University along with Generation GOP registered over 1,000 new students to vote, the majority of whom were Republican and supported Party candidates. Unofficial polls at Ouachita Baptist University suggest that the student body of over 3,000 students is more than 80% Republican in leaning.

"This injunction against students was a calculated move to keep Republican youth from voting," said R. Stuart Jones, chairman of Generation GOP. "It is extremely important to get young people interested in voting and in the electoral process - denying them their right to vote is not a proper introduction to democracy."

Generation GOP is working with several allied organizations including the College Republicans, Teenage Republicans and Young Republicans to organize a rally against the disenfranchisement of legal voters at Ouachita Baptist University and Henderson State University.

 



TOPICS: Activism/Chapters; Crime/Corruption; Culture/Society; Extended News; Government; News/Current Events; Politics/Elections; US: Arkansas
KEYWORDS: christians; democratictolerance; disenfranchisement; judicialmischief; republican
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To: Ragtime Cowgirl
All of the students? Regardless of party or residence? I'm sure not all the students are from out of state.
41 posted on 10/24/2002 3:03:10 PM PDT by WSGilcrest
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To: copycat
This argument should be brought in Wisconsin, where students vote over and over...

Oh, to be sure. The whole thing's a bloody mess. This November 6th is going to be a very interesting news day.

42 posted on 10/24/2002 3:04:18 PM PDT by Bloody Sam Roberts
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To: Ragtime Cowgirl; Jim Robinson; 1tin_soldier; a-whole-nother-box-of-pandoras; Ahban; Arkansawyer; ...
See the kind of evil shenanigans we are dealing with here. It is like beating out heads against the wall fighting these @#$&*#@*!!!

Arkansas FReepers, any more light on this situation? I was listening to this on KARN this afternoon briefly.

43 posted on 10/24/2002 3:05:45 PM PDT by sweetliberty
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To: JoeMomma
Are they all people from out of state or out of county? If so, you are right.

However, it sounds to me this is a case of selective enforcement, since it only is concerning this school. That is a problem. This ruling should apply to mostly DEM schools also. Plus, history shows this rule rarely was applied. The law has not been enforced, leading to this confusion.

You can change your address to the college and register to vote in that county. I chose not to do that; I will be voting with a mail-in ballot sent to me.

The students should be allowed to change their address and register again, or request an absentee ballot if the deadline has passed.
44 posted on 10/24/2002 3:07:21 PM PDT by rwfromkansas
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To: Inspectorette
Well, here on the Left Coast, students are not only allowed, but are encouraged to vote, even though they're from other states.

The State of California pulled something similar on me when I was stationed there in the Navy. I registered to vote at a concert (I wasn't politically astute enough to know about absentee voting at that time). The people running the table with the voter registration info all assured me that "we just need you to sign up to help our numbers."

Well, I registered and got to vote all right, but then got slapped with a $2200 state income tax bill on my military pay a few months later, backdated from the day I joined 7 years before. Only problem is that I was (and still am) a resident of Texas which has no state income tax. I told them what they could do with their tax bill and sent a copy to military Legal. I got dunning letters for a few months, then got served with a lawsuit for the back taxes I supposedly owed.

One more visit to Legal later, the letters mysteriously stopped and the suit was dropped. It was still a major PITA for me because they filled my credit report with references to the alleged taxes I owed and I had to write each of the credit reporting agencies and have them removed, one at a time.

Moral: Be very careful about where you register to vote.

45 posted on 10/24/2002 3:08:44 PM PDT by strela
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To: deport

Judge curbs vote of college students

People who live in Clark County temporarily to attend college can’t vote in the Nov. 5 election, according to a circuit judge’s ruling Tuesday that was widely denounced by figures from both major political parties.

Though limited to college students in Clark County, the ruling signals the possibility that such a decision could be reached if other cases were filed in other counties, potentially affecting campuses from Fayetteville to Monticello, El Dorado to Jonesboro.

Gov. Mike Huckabee, the Republican nominee for governor, was accompanied by his daughter, Sarah, a Clark County student at Ouachita Baptist University, when he called the ruling "an absolute outrage" at a news conference Tuesday afternoon at the Governor’s Mansion.

Huckabee said as many as 1,000 college students "have essentially been disenfranchised from their right to vote."

Huckabee said the ruling "is absolutely one of the worst things that’s happened in Arkansas politics in a long time. I think it shows why we have to see some real changes in the one-party fiefdom that we have operated under."

State Treasurer Jimmie Lou Fisher, Huckabee’s Democratic opponent in the race for governor, called the decision "appalling."

Secretary of State Sharon Priest, the state’s chief election officer, urged the state chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union to oppose the ruling by Clark County Circuit Judge John A. Thomas. "Three words: It is unconstitutional," said Rita Sklar, executive director of the state ACLU. "The right of college students to vote in the place where they attend college is well-established under case law."

Thomas’ ruling applies only in the case of students at Ouachita Baptist University and Henderson State University, both in Arkadelphia. It orders the county clerk not to register any more college students who temporarily live in the county and to purge from the voter rolls before the Nov. 5 election any who already are registered.

It was unclear how many of the 807 people listed on voter rolls with a Ouachita Baptist address or the 112 with a Henderson State address would be affected by the ruling. The lawyer who represented the county clerk in the case said anyone who isn’t allowed to vote under Thomas’ ruling still may cast a challenged ballot, which could be counted if the judge’s ruling is overturned.

The ruling came in response to an Oct. 10 suit filed by Tom Curry of Arkadelphia, a lawyer. Curry sued Clark County Clerk Rhonda Williams, arguing that state law requires college students to register to vote in the county in which their permanent residence is located.

Curry said Tuesday that no one from the state Democratic Party was involved in the lawsuit. He said the governor should have contacted him before insinuating that politics was behind the suit. "The Baptist church I was raised in said it’s wrong to bear false witness against one’s neighbor," Curry said.

Thomas’ ruling said people who move temporarily to a county to attend college remain residents of their former home, rather than becoming residents of the county containing the college they attend.

Priest said later Tuesday that it’s illegal to be registered to vote in two counties under Arkansas Code 7-1-103 (12).

Attorney General Mark Pryor said in an opinion two years ago that "a college student does not... establish residency for voting purposes by living in the county of the school he is attending nine months out of the year." Attorney general opinions are not legally binding.

Fisher said her campaign is inclusive and she supports allowing everyone in Arkansas the right to register and vote in the election. She called on the secretary of state and the attorney general to appeal Thomas’ ruling. The ACLU, Priest and the attorney general would have to become parties to the case to have a role. "College students are no exception," Fisher said. "They have perhaps the greatest stake of all in this election. It is the responsibility of everyone of legal age to vote, and I find it detestable that anyone would restrict a citizen’s access to vote, especially those just beginning to form the habit of voting."

But Curry said based on his reading of state law, it’s wrong for someone whose only link to Clark County is attending college to affect the outcome of the county’s elections. "Every time a student who’s not a permanent resident of Clark County votes, they decrease the value of my vote," Curry said. "The statute’s clear."

Thomas didn’t return a telephone message Tuesday seeking comment on his ruling and the criticisms of it.

The ruling cited Arkansas Code Annotated 7-5-201 (b) (6), which Curry cited in his complaint.

That statute says, "Persons who are temporarily living in a particular place because of a temporary work-related assignment or duty post or as a result of their performing duties in connection with their status as military personnel, students, or office holders shall be deemed residents of that place where they established their home prior to beginning such assignments or duties."

Sklar said, "It could be that the statute is unconstitutional."

Sarah Huckabee, vice president of Ouachita Baptist’s student senate, said she would "do anything I can in order to be able to vote because I feel I have that right and I have earned that right to vote."

She said she served four days on a jury and believes "that kind of gives me my constitutional right to vote in Arkadelphia. I think that by taking that right away from one person threatens the rights of every voter in Arkansas, not just the 1,000 college students there."

Lawyer Ralph Ohm of Hot Springs, who represented Williams, said Williams doesn’t have an opinion on whether state law allows or prohibits college students from voting where they go to college. "Our position is that the county wanted some guidance on what to do on this issue, and the court gave it to us [Tuesday]," Ohm said. "She is not taking a position in this case. If [Thomas’] ruling is overturned, we’ll do whatever that ruling says."

Ohm said some of the 807 people listed on voter rolls with a Ouachita Baptist address and the 112 listed with a Henderson address could be permanent residents of the county who live on campus.

Charles Cabe of Gurdon, chairman of the Clark County Republican Party, called the ruling "obviously just party politics."

Cabe said he believes the ruling, issued by a judge who initially sought the bench as a Democrat, selectively addressed Ouachita Baptist students. "There’s been a lot of Republican support at Ouachita Baptist, and I feel like that is what’s being done," Cabe said.

Circuit judges now run as nonpartisan candidates under a constitutional amendment adopted by voters in 2000.

Curry said his lawsuit had nothing to do with politics. "I’m not affiliated with either party," he said. "The right to vote is what it’s all about."

Todd Turner of Arkadelphia, the county Democratic chairman and a former Ouachita Baptist student, scoffed at the notion that the ruling was directed at Republican students. "How would anybody know that?" he asked. "I sure don’t think it’s a partisan deal.... It’s been a hot topic in this town for many, many years, but the Democratic Party has always stayed out of it."

Jeff Root, a Ouachita Baptist spokesman, declined to take a stand on whether it involved politics.

Root said the county clerk’s office must be careful, however, in eliminating names from the voter rolls. "I know a lot of Arkadelphia kids who move to campus when they enroll in school," he said.

Curry said he was "not concerned how these students vote. They really need to vote back home."

http://www.nwanews.com/adg/story_national.php?storyid=9619


ASU Students Safe from Clark County Vote Ruling

Jonesboro
Melissa Simas Reports

October 23, 2002
Posted at: 5:30 p.m. CDT

JONESBORO, Ark. -- Representatives of Arkansas' Democratic and Republican parties are criticizing a Clark County judge's ruling that bans out-of-town students at Arkadelphia's two universities from voting in the county.

Students who moved to Clark County to attend college at Henderson State and Ouchita Baptist universities can no longer vote in the upcoming November 5 election, because of a ruling made by a county Circuit Judge John Thomas.

Thomas ruled Tuesday that people who live in Clark County on a temporary basis to attend college can not vote. His ruling came in response to a suit filed against the Clark County clerk. The suit states that Arkansas law requires college students to register to vote in the county in which their permanent residence is located. Thomas cited this portion of Arkansas Code in making his decision. However, an attorney in Jonesboro, home of Arkansas State University, says that he doesn't think the circuit judge can offer a blanket ruling like he did.

"Residency requirements are going to be applicable to each individual student," Dustin McDaniel said. "And a student that lives in Clark County, and has a job there, and lives there year round; even if they move from another county, I think that person is a resident of that county."

McDaniel says that it is up to the county clerk to determine the residency of the student living in a county.

Deputy Clark County Clerk Reshea Owens says the office is complying with the order, which she says would affect 800 students at OBU and 112 students at Henderson State. The order did not include university staff members who reside in university housing.

However, according to Craighead County Clerk Nancy Nelms, the ruling should not affect students at Arkansas State. She says as long as students have been living in the county for 30 days prior to the election, and they are registered to vote in Craighead County, then they should be able to vote on November 5.

"When (students) register to vote here," Nelms said. "They register that this is their residence, and they sign an affidavit that this is their residence."

Arkansas Secretary of State Sharon Priest is asking the state chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union to oppose the ruling. She says the ruling is a violation of federal law because the students have no remedy. Governor Mike Huckabee's daughter is among one of the students from Ouachita Baptist University who will not be able to vote.


46 posted on 10/24/2002 3:09:26 PM PDT by deport
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To: Otta B Sleepin
" I always had to vote absentee when I was in college"

I didn't. I simply had to register in the state I was going to school prior to the deadline for registering. It was also a key to establishing residency in that state. I thought that was standard procedure except for where they have the abominable same day registration thing.

47 posted on 10/24/2002 3:09:44 PM PDT by sweetliberty
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Comment #48 Removed by Moderator

To: Otta B Sleepin; DCBryan1; Ragtime Cowgirl
So all of the students at Univ of Ark @ Pine Bluff will follow the same rules?

What next? A-A churches will start following the same rules that x42 required of Concerned Women of America regarding voter registration drives and voter guides?

Yeah, right....
49 posted on 10/24/2002 3:12:23 PM PDT by texas booster
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To: rwfromkansas
bump
50 posted on 10/24/2002 3:14:15 PM PDT by rwfromkansas
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To: rwfromkansas
bump
51 posted on 10/24/2002 3:14:24 PM PDT by rwfromkansas
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To: rwfromkansas
bump
52 posted on 10/24/2002 3:14:35 PM PDT by rwfromkansas
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To: sweetliberty
We're hearing about the attempts of election fraud, real or perceived, all across the country...and that's new and very positive...thanks to FoxNews, Rush and the rise of internet news (go FR!). Dems. are probably surprised that they're being exposed after decades of dirty election deeds. (^:
53 posted on 10/24/2002 3:15:00 PM PDT by Ragtime Cowgirl
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To: stop_the_rats
These students were legally registered to vote. Live in this city, work, and go to school. No problems voting these students in other election (2000) for ex. Dem judge has friend with a rep challenger...do you see now?

No they weren't legally registered. That's the issue. We shouldn't be defending lawbreakers. Why are you?

If they live, work, and go to school and have car registration in Clark County, AR, then they are legal residents.

If they go to school and depend on mom and dad in Cuyahoga Couty, OH, they are not legal residents of Clark Co Arkansas.

Don't defend lawbreakers. You risk looking like a NJ Dem.

54 posted on 10/24/2002 3:16:05 PM PDT by JoeMomma
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To: JoeMomma
If they voted in 2000 then a voter registration change of address was sent to their original place of voter registration, they were then purged from the voter rolls in that place. So, now they are double disenfranchised as they can't vote where they are registered and they have probably been purged from their home state rolls and it is too late to reregister to vote in their home state.
55 posted on 10/24/2002 3:17:19 PM PDT by D. Miles
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To: JoeMomma
Joe, I think that you're misreading the story. Check out the comments from both Dem. and Rep. state leaders at #46:

Huckabee said as many as 1,000 college students "have essentially been disenfranchised from their right to vote."

Huckabee said the ruling "is absolutely one of the worst things that's happened in Arkansas politics in a long time. I think it shows why we have to see some real changes in the one-party fiefdom that we have operated under."

State Treasurer Jimmie Lou Fisher, Huckabee's Democratic opponent in the race for governor, called the decision "appalling."

Secretary of State Sharon Priest, the state's chief election officer, urged the state chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union to oppose the ruling by Clark County Circuit Judge John A. Thomas. "Three words: It is unconstitutional," said Rita Sklar, executive director of the state ACLU. "The right of college students to vote in the place where they attend college is well-established under case law."


56 posted on 10/24/2002 3:19:37 PM PDT by Ragtime Cowgirl
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To: JoeMomma
I can't say for sure about THESE students, but I believe that the majority of students in colleges in Arkansas are FROM Arkansas, and I have discovered from experience that Republican registrations tend to get "lost" in the system, even when changing county of residence.
57 posted on 10/24/2002 3:23:20 PM PDT by sweetliberty
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To: Ragtime Cowgirl
There really needs to be some federal legislation on the subject of college students' voting locations. I suspect quite a lot are voting in two place -- the precinct of their parents' home, and the precinct of their college residence. A lot of it could be happening without their knowledge, as they register in their hometown, then someone at college tells them they need to register and vote there, and the Democrats find a way to use their still active home registrations for nefarious purposes.
58 posted on 10/24/2002 3:24:08 PM PDT by GovernmentShrinker
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To: All; DCBryan1
That's what I thought, too. Moreover, if the students are out of state, they can cast their ballots by mail.

Let's stick to battles where truth is on out side, not the battles that we simply can or wish to win.

People, listen to DCBryan1's advice: calm down and stand on principle and law.

59 posted on 10/24/2002 3:24:14 PM PDT by TopQuark
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To: JoeMomma
You are throwing around some serious accusations here.

Prove that these kids were lawbreakers.

a.cricket

60 posted on 10/24/2002 3:24:27 PM PDT by another cricket
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