Eased voting rules sought after storms

Louisiana legislators are scrambling to enable displaced voters who have moved to distant states to cast absentee ballots in a February election by loosening the state's identification requirements, although the idea's backers suffered a pair of defeats yesterday. A bill in the House and Senate limits existing laws that require first-time voters who have registered by mail to show identification and to vote in person. Opponents of changing the law say it could lead to voter fraud in a state with a long and colorful history of political corruption. A Senate panel this week passed a bill, introduced by state Sen. Charles Jones of upstate Monroe, a Democrat, that would loosen identification requirements because, Mr. Jones said, "an unprecedented number of persons have been temporarily displaced from their parishes of residence for an indefinite period." The full Senate rejected it on a 20-16 vote yesterday, and the House later rejected a voter bill from Rep. Jalila Jefferson-Bullock, New Orleans Democrat. But other, similar bills are pending. "It's a work in progress, but once it takes life, it can take other forms and go right back to how it started," said state Sen. Jay Dardenne, Baton Rouge Republican. Mr. Dardenne said the Jones bill initially let voters registered through the federal Motor-Voter Act cast a first-time absentee ballot in 2006.

http://www.thedeadpelican.com/betrayal.htm

Below is an advance copy of a stinging editorial by Neil S. Kavanagh, to be published in Tuesday's North Side Journal.
Louisiana Betrayal

by Neil S. Cavanaugh

I wish I could ask this question of every Louisiana citizen who works, pays taxes, and expects decent government. “How does it feel to be an indentured servant of the state?”

Because that’s what you are.

The Louisiana State Senate just voted to allow for a “plan for registration, early voting, absentee voting by mail, and election day voting,” anytime the state is under an “gubernatorial declared disaster or emergency.”

With this vote, the Senate has opened the door for massive election fraud in this state. The key is the phrase “absentee voting by mail.” This allows anyone, to send in a ballot, and vote an election without any verification of their identity.

Before the passage of this bill, voters could register by mail, but would have to appear in person to vote. They had to sign the register, and had to show identification. Now, none of that is necessary. A potential voter can register from by mail from anywhere and vote the same way. They never have to appear in person...ever.

This vote has a chilling effect on every citizen of the state. For every vote to change the status quo and reform Louisiana state government, the powers in Baton Rouge and New Orleans can now enter a canceling vote. The concept of fair voting in Louisiana is gone, wiped out with the vote of 24 senators.

This bill allows those who have abused the citizens of this state for their own personal gain, to continue that abuse. It practically insures that the corruption which infects Louisiana will continue unabated. It renders your vote worthless.

The betrayal comes from those who voted for this sham.

We expected this type of underhanded behavior from some of these senators, like Diana Bajoie and Ann Duplessis who stand to lose most of their base because they have taken up residence our of state. We expected this from Senator Charles Jones who has more ethics violations than any other current member of the Louisiana Senate. We did not expect this type of betrayal from Senators Jay Dardenne, Sherri Cheek, Art Lentini and Gerald Theunissen.

These senators have taken the support and faith of their constituents, and betrayed them. They have smiled and reassured the voters that they would stand for honest state government, and then sold their vote for the promise of future political favors from a corrupt New Orleans contingent.

There were voices from around the state which held out hope that somehow the hurricanes would afford Louisiana another chance at legitimacy. Maybe, just maybe, our kids might come back home. Businesses would return. Taxes would become more reasonable, state government would become more responsible.

That hope is now gone, erased by four men who betrayed an entire state.

END

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