68 dead people reported as voting between 1994-04 in Shelby Co.

AP Wire | 12/28/05

[Brian Mosely]

MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) — At least 68 people recorded as voting in Shelby County between 1994 and 2004 were dead at the time the ballots were cast, a television station reported.

The investigation by WMC-TV uncovered several names of voters, which according to Shelby County Election Commission records, cast ballots as much as eight and 10 years after federal records show they died.

“I certainly have no idea how any of this could have happened,” commission administrator James Johnson said.

He said he would turn the results of the station’s investigation over to the district attorney for further investigation.

Prosecutors already have asked the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation to assist an investigation into reports by The Commercial Appeal that at least two ballots were cast in a September special election in the name of registered voters who died weeks earlier.

The certified vote count of that election provided a 13-vote victory for Ophelia Ford to replace her brother John Ford in the state Senate. John Ford resigned his seat in May after he was arrested on federal charges of taking a payoff to influence legislation.

The margin has since been cut by several votes, and Republican candidate Terry Roland is challenging the election on grounds of fraud.

Ophelia Ford has already been sworn into office, but it will be up to the Republican-dominated Senate to decide whether to seat her when the Legislature goes into session next month. The Senate also is investigation Roland’s claims.

[Zavien Doombringer]

“I certainly have no idea how any of this could have happened,” commission administrator James Johnson said.

BWAHAHAHAHAHA

[BenLurkin]

“I certainly have no idea how any of this could have happened,” commission administrator James Johnson said.

[Zavien Doombringer]

beat ya

[soccer_maniac]

why am I not surprised?

[YouPosting2Me]

*whisper*


"I see dead voters..."

[Onelifetogive]

The margin has since been cut by several votes, and Republican candidate Terry Roland is challenging the election on grounds of fraud.

This fraud was committed by Dims. Correct me if I wrong, but I am pretty sure that kind of voter fraud is not against the law.....

[penelopesire]

“I certainly have no idea how any of this could have happened,” commission administrator James Johnson said."


Yeah right....(rolling eyes)

[BenLurkin]

ONE second!

[pgyanke]

Dollars to donuts these dead people all voted for Dems...

[sandbar]

Considering they did not mention which party they voted for, we can assume they voted Democratic. If they had voted Republican the MSM would have 'theorized' it was ordered direct from Bush or Rove. Even in 1994.

[jamesm51]

Why don't they ever check your ID when you go to vote?

[Kokojmudd]

only 68?

[adorno]

At least 68 people recorded as voting

Only 68?

I liken the number of dead people voting to the number of roaches you see in a kitchen floor. You can be sure that for every cockroach you see, there are at least 100 more hiding.

[pgyanke]

Dollars to donuts these dead people all voted for Dems...

[Red Badger]

These dead people must be punished for not staying dead!........

[Choose Ye This Day]

Do you have a link? I have to send this to a liberal buddy, former Memphis resident.

[mbynack]

There you go again trying to disenfranchise another Democratic voting block.

[GaltMeister]

Why don't they ever check your ID when you go to vote?

No doubt! It has been said that they are more demanding at a video rental store than they are at the polls in most states.

[RetiredArmy]

I fully assume they were regostered socialist democrats, correct?

[RetiredArmy]

regostered = registered (0f course)

[RichInOC]

How did Elvis vote?

[Niteranger68]

Ophelia Ford has already been sworn into office, but it will be up to the Republican-dominated Senate to decide whether to seat her when the Legislature goes into session next month. The Senate also is investigation Roland’s claims.

Don't you just love their objectivity?

[MplsSteve]

They don't ask for an ID when I vote here in Minneapolis.

I give 'em my name and address and they have me sign the voter roll.

A few times I've asked the election worker (after I've signed the roll) "How do you know that I'm Steve *******? You never asked for an ID. What's to prevent me (or someone else) from voting in several precincts today?"

I usually get no answer other a mild look of annoyance from the election worker.

The bottom line: YES, an ID should always be presented when going to vote.

[NRA2BFree]

I will never cease to be amazed at how dead people are able to do that. LOL Where ever ACORN registered voters you'll find all kinds of dead people voting.

[Ditter]

We changed our voting precinct a few years ago, from a heavily dem area to a heavily repub area. I wonder if there is any way to find out if we continued to vote in the dem area after we moved. *wink* *wink*

[MplsSteve]

Elvis is registered four times in Shelby County, I'm sure.

Which Elvis are you referring to?

[Brian Mosely]

I'd check the local TV news sites....this came via the wire, not the net.

[ASA Vet]

How did Elvis vote?

Which Elvis?

[RichInOC]

Often imitated, but never duplicated. In the end, there can be only one:

http://www.elvis.com/

[GaltMeister]

Election day in Shelby County:

[HairOfTheDog]

68? That's really inconsequential and not all that unsurprising. And not likely any kind of plot by anyone involved in elections either. More like individual family members who receive grandpa's ballot in the mail and decide to send it in (for grandpa, you know)

[GaltMeister]

Here's a link, from local news channel 5:

http://www.wmctv.com/Global/story.asp?S=4291794

[HostileTerritory]

What's this state senate district like? I'm surprised a district represented by John Ford would have been so close in a special election.

[zeaal]

Wow, what a great idea to win elections ... have dead people vote.

[Ditter]

I just checked by phone and was told we were not on the voter rolls in Galveston Co. Texas so hopefully we haven't vote there in a few years. I remember calling them and asking to be removed but I never check to see if they really did it. If we were still listed I would be trying to see if we had voted there since about 1999.

[mel]

My thoughts exactly.

[Chanticleer]

Jeepers! They even require an i.d. to vote here in Flori-duh!

[mtbopfuyn]

Oh, those wacky zombies!

[Kenny Bunk]

Ben, Ophelia and the Ford family have been big in the Funeral Business for years in the "Minority Community." I am sure that the voter registration service they offer the deceased and their families has been deliberately misrepresented by you Republican racists out there.

This is a wonderful Affirmative Action sort of thing which allows people of color to make up for the hundreds of years of voting they missed because of Republican Slaveholders. The Fords are offering the deceased and their families a god-given chance to correct this injustice. Of course, who better than the Fords would know how the deceased would have voted, had they not been maliciously prevented by dastardly white male Republican slave owners?

This is not a racist point of view, because the Fords, being sort of African-American, cannot be racists. Ophelia points out that the same theory applies to White Women, for example.

This is also of course, a crystal clear reason why Alito must not be confirmed to the SCOTUS. One can be sure he would find all sorts of pettifoggery and legaljammery to prevent plain and simple justice from being done by trying to take back this most important civil right from people whose ancestors are still dead.

[R.W.Ratikal]

he old joke has spread and became a reality.

"Is there a vote after death?" Answer, "Yes, move to Cook County, IL."

[Chanticleer]

The investigation by WMC-TV uncovered several names of voters, which according to Shelby County Election Commission records, cast ballots as much as eight and 10 years after federal records show they died.

I could buy your argument if people turned in an absentee ballot requested by grandpa, who then died before he could mail it. But 8-10 years after gramps dies?

In Florida, you have to request an absentee ballot and give all sorts of information. They don't just send you one year after year.

My family comes from Jackson, Tennessee, and they make them strong and opinionated there. If anyone could vote after death....

[HairOfTheDog]

Well, who do you think cast those votes then, if not family members or other familiar people who knew those specific people were dead.

If it were thousands, it'd be significant. This number seems to me to be a fairly typical percentage of malfeasance in any human endeavor.

[Chanticleer]

It may very well have been family members. I'm just saying that, where I live anyway, it would not simply be a matter of innocently checking a box and returning the ballot on behalf of dead grandpa. It would require either deliberately requesting an absentee ballot, providing all the requisite information, or appearing at a polling place with i.d. to cast a fraudulent vote. That isn't something innocent or excusable -- it is deliberate voter fraud, a third-degree felony in our state, punishable with a fine of up to $5,000 or five years in prison.

I can't imagine doing that, no matter how much I love my parents or my spouse, no matter how strongly they or I feel about an election. Can you?

[HairOfTheDog]

Of course not, it's wrong and should be punished, and it's often found out.

[Chanticleer]

I do agree with you that 68 dead voters in one county over a 10-year period does not scream wide-scale voter fraud or a plot on behalf of either party.... Maybe the dead voters cancelled each other out!

[ZULU]

Dead people always vote Democrat. They want those free perks they can't afford anymore.

[HairOfTheDog]

Heh...they may have ;~D

[Long Distance Rider]

"Why don't they ever check your ID when you go to vote?"

Are you nuts? In Memphis? Memphis, Tennessee? In the deep south? That would be racist don'tcha know.

Besides we are only talking about 68 lousy votes. Only a racist TV station would make a big ta-doo over a measly 68 votes. Plus we all know them poor departed folks would have voted for the Fords. sheesh

Sarcasm off

[ErnBatavia]