Posted on 11/02/2004 2:47:00 PM PST by Conservative Coulter Fan
Volunteers to seniors:
Mark ballot for Kerry
Translators 'helping elderly and immigrants' at polls in Philadelphia allowed into booths
By Aaron Klein
© 2004 WorldNetDaily.com
PHILADELPHIA – Volunteers with a grass-roots organization in Philadelphia that purports to "help the elderly and immigrant voters get to the polls and understand the issues" are urging Russian-speaking voters in need of translation, or in a few cases are senile and have little grasp of the issues, to vote for Democrat Sen. John Kerry, and are going into the booths with some of them, WorldNetDaily has learned.
The group, organized by David Kushner, a Democrat activist from Philadelphia, consists of about 70 volunteers assisting the large elderly and Russian-speaking community of northeast Philadelphia in "understanding the ballots, providing translation for Russians, and if need be, going into the booths if further assistance is required."
Kushner estimates that 95 percent of his volunteers are pro-Kerry. He says that in 2000, with about 50 volunteers, the group brought about 5,000 voters to the polls from various retirement homes and Russian organizations, and assisted an additional 20,000 with their voting. He says today, with a larger group, his organization hopes to reach about 35,000 voters.
Northeast Philadelphia has a large Russian immigrant community, some of whom speak little English. Most voting machines in the area are only translated into Spanish, leaving many Russian-speaking immigrants in need of assistance.
One volunteer told WorldNetDaily: "A lot of these voters understand the issues, but some of them have no clue. And there have been a few elderly that were totally lost. So what if we suggest they vote for Kerry?"
On occasion, the pro-Kerry volunteer translators are allowed into the booths if the voter requires further assistance.
Until recently, Philadelphia County election law dictated that only officials from the county election board be allowed to assist voters in the booths, but a change in law now bans election officials because of charges of partisanship, but allows the voter to bring in an individual of his choosing.
Volunteer Vladimir Rubin told WND: "I encourage voter turn out and help people make up their minds last minute. If they have any questions I answer, and if they need translation I give it to them. Only after I am done doing what they ask, do I suggest that they vote for Kerry."
Kushner said, "I make sure every volunteer knows and understands the legal issues. Can I guarantee nothing is done wrong 100 percent of the time? No, I don't have a camera in every booth."
Also today, before the booths opened in the same area, some Republican poll watchers claimed they found nearly 2,000 votes already planted on Philadelphia machines scattered in heavy-minority locations throughout the city, reported Drudge Report.
But Philadelphia Deputy City Commissioner Ed Schulgan says the stories on the Internet and Drudge are not true. He says the city is not impounding any voting machines, and they have found no machines that had votes on them already.
Schulgan said his office has contacted all of the judges of elections in the areas in question by Drudge, and they indicated that they printed out the ballots showing that all candidates had "zero" votes and that's when they opened the machines for voting. As of 11:30 a.m., Schulgan says, voting was going smoothly in the city with relatively few problems and no complaints of harassment or intimidation.
Pennsylvania, which carries 21 electoral votes, is a crucial swing state that can tilt the election to either candidate. The state divides fairly evenly between Democrat and Republican influence and also has a large number of registered independent voters. Democrats outnumbered Republicans in Pennsylvania 3.7 million to 3.2 million in 2001, according to a Penn State University survey. Overall, however, the state is considered to be conservative and Republican in the countryside, with the majority of registered Democrats clustered in and around the largest cities – Philadelphia and Pittsburgh.
A Survey USA poll today shows an extremely tight race, giving Kerry a 1 point lead in Pennsylvania with 49 percent to Bush's 48 percent.
Now, isn't that a clear, admitted, violation of the campaigning within 100 feet thing or not?
Same people that favor killing the elderly because they don't make good workers in their socialist paradise.
Philly and Pittsburgh are turning out to be the central Dem. camp for vote fraud.
Well then, I guess it's OK. We'll see you only get 10 years in the slammer instead of 25!
They also do this in nursing homes, helping them with absentee ballots.
Kushner denied the accusations, saying he was spending his time supporting City Council candidate Bob McCarthy and helping Russian-speaking voters navigate the crowded election ballot.
No doubt they also help them with their checkbooks and "investments".
I just heard (second-hand) that basket ball player, Charles Barkley said that he voted for Kerry and if Kerry loses, he (Barkley) was going to run for office in whatever state he is from.
This is the works of MOVEON.ORG
Am sending all such to my email list and suggesting they might consider phoning their friends and relatives who'd vote for Bush in the swing states to insure that such votes are cast.
ASSISTANCE TO VOTERS
No voter will be permitted to receive any assistance in voting at any primary or election, unless there is a declaration recorded on his/her registration card that, by reason of blindness, disability, or inability to read or write, he/she is unable to read the names on the ballot or on the voting machine labels, or that he/she has a physical disability which renders him/her unable to see or mark the ballot or operate the voting machine, or to enter the voting compartment or voting machine booth without assistance. 25 P.S. § 3058(a)
The exact nature of such condition must be recorded on the registration card. Such voters will only be allowed to receive assistance if the election officers are satisfied that he/she still suffers from the same condition. 25 P.S. § 3058(a)
Any elector who is entitled to receive assistance in voting under the provisions of this section will be permitted by the judge of election to select a person of the elector's choice (except the elector's employer, an agent of the elector’s employer or an officer or agent of the elector's union) to enter the voting compartment or voting machine booth assist him/her in voting, such assistance to be rendered inside the voting compartment or voting machine booth. 25 P.S. § 3058(b)
In every case of assistance under the provisions of this section, the judge of election must enter in writing in a book to be furnished by the county board of elections, to be known as the record of assisted voters--(1) the voter's name; (2) a statement of the facts which entitle him/her to receive assistance; and (3) the name of the person furnishing the assistance. The record of assisted voters must be returned by the judge of election to the county board of elections with the other papers, as hereinafter provided, and the county board must permit the same to be examined only upon the written order of a judge of the court of common pleas; provided, however, that such record will be subject to subpoena to the same extent to which other election records may be subpoenaed; and provided further, that the county election board must permit any registration commission to examine any records of assisted voters without a court order, in order that the registration commission may ascertain whether electors, who have declared, at the time of registration, their need for assistance, actually did receive assistance when voting at any election. 25 P.S. § 3058(c)
A suggestion that is 25 yrs behind. So far behind that this may be the last election because from now on the commies control the rules. The complacent pubbies decided long ago that compassionate conservativism was the answer & this is what it got them.
It is an even tossup as to who steals the valuables let alone manipulates the votes, of the elderly in such places, - staff or volunteers.
I'd bet on the voter volunteers, myself.
Charles Barkely
Birthplace:
Leeds, Alabama
He is a nut job!
The people of rural Pennsylvania need to seceed from Philadelphia and form a new state.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.