Posted on 10/27/2010 6:33:25 AM PDT by Kaslin
Our resident expert on election law explains the ins and outs of how to detect voter fraud.
There’s been lots of talk about voter fraud this election season. Already machines have purportedly preselected candidates and in other places, documents demonstrate non-citizens are registered to vote. Anyone who says voter fraud doesn’t exist has no credibility. I’ve covered elections for over 10 years. I’ve seen it over and over again with my own eyes. I’ve proved it in federal court. It is significantly more common than Sasquatch.
But what does voter fraud look like? What can citizens be on the lookout for when they participate in their election? Let me share some examples:
Commands to vote
I’ve seen election judges telling voters for whom to vote. In Philadelphia, I have repeatedly seen the people who sign you in and check off your name give instructions to voters for whom to vote. It isn’t supposed to work that way, and if you see it, get the name of the election official and report it to their boss. Better yet, try to get the name of the voter.
Mass illegal assistance
One of the most outrageous behaviors is campaigns of illegal assistance. I’ve seen lone soldiers of a political machine march dozens of voters into the booth and vote for them. In some instances the voter provided little or no input. Remember that disabled citizens have a right under federal law to have anyone assist them, as long as it is not an employer or union representative. Illiteracy and inability to speak English well also trigger this right. So just because someone is in the booth with a voter doesn’t mean something illegal is happening. But if you see van loads of voters being “voted” without expressing their own input, get the tag number of the van and remember what illegal assistant looked like.
Phony voters
I’ve watched people in states without voter ID seek to vote who were clearly not the people they said they were. During one election, I saw a young man give a name. It caused the women working the polls who knew him to laugh at him and tell him to stop fooling them. He insisted, even under watchful eyes, that he was this person everyone knew him not to be. Everyone was laughing, but the poll workers relented and reluctantly gave him a ballot, somewhat perturbed that he pushed the issue. For a brief moment, he was someone else. And since voter ID was not the law in this state, he voted a regular ballot.
Absentee ballot signature mismatches
In some states, there must be signature verification on the absentee ballots. Signatures of the voter must match with supposedly identical signatures. Some states even have a review process open to the public that allows scrutiny of the matching process. Pay attention. Hang out after the polls close and watch. Mississippi, for example, has a rigorous process where every absentee ballot must be reviewed and they are subject to challenge for defects. Even defects as small as a signature not being across a flap properly are potentially fatal defects.
Cash for votes
The last few years have seen numerous indictments for people being paid to vote. In one southwestern Virginia county, it wasn’t even cash. Instead, votes were being bought for pork rinds. Whatever the payout, it is illegal to pay someone something to vote. If you see wads of bills around the election site, it is usually a problem. I once watched a woman keep the wad of cash in her bra. She pulled it out over and over throughout the day.
Loiterers
It most states, there are laws against just hanging out at the polls. Know your state law. In Texas, for example, nobody is allowed inside the polls or within a certain distance of the entrance if they are not voting. Video of Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee potentially violating this law was shown on the internet in the last few days. Loiterers can be a sign of a bigger problem. If nothing else, election officials who fail to enforce rules against polling place loitering can hardly be counted on to enforce other important integrity safeguards. And loitering rules are an integrity safeguard.
Intimidation of poll watchers
Poll watchers serve an important role in our elections. They are eyes and ears that make sure illegal behavior is recorded. Naturally, the deployment of dozens of highly trained poll workers in Houston at every early voting site in Houston unsettled some. Law abiding citizens with pen and pad can do more to stop election fraud than anything else. It is no wonder incident after incident of intimidation was directed to the poll watchers. Poll watchers prevent voter fraud. No quarter should be given to those intimidating poll watchers. Get names, tag numbers, physical descriptions of the intimidators, and, if state law allows, video evidence.
Poll workers voting for voters
There are few things as nasty as election officials cranking their wishes into a machine instead of the voters. Remember, however, that voters can have anyone assist them, even going so far as to push the screen or buttons – even an election official. This is a right under Section 208 of the Voting Rights Act. Yet some states prohibit election officials from casting a ballot or pushing the screen for voters. This is an unresolved conflict in the law in some places. Either way, be aware when election officials are pushing ballots.
Software glitches
I am entirely unconvinced that the software on machines sometimes has candidate choices pre-marked. I believe this is an urban myth spawned by unfamiliarity with the machine inputs. Even Sasquatch may be more common. But I reserve the right to be wrong. Obviously if you encounter this, move slowly, don’t touch buttons, call for help, and then call Pajamas Media.
Counting errors
One of the worst ways to run an election is with paper ballots. We want to minimize the human inputs in our elections. Electronics are the way to go. When paper ballots are counted by humans, humans get to decide so many things — like which box is that “X” really in. Or, that isn’t an “X,” that’s a stray mark, so the “X” is really meant for this candidate. Get my point? Dishonest clerks can find lots of discretion in paper ballots. Lord over them while the count goes on, if the law allows.
Politicking inside the room
Another terrible behavior is when people are chatting, talking, or carrying on and telling others how to vote. A modern version of this is cell phones in the booth. In most states, one may not make calls on the phone while voting. Typically, down ballot contests see people break the law and chat — “Who should I vote for city council?” Sometimes they even call a friend. This is not allowed in most places and observers should alert election officials while it is happening.
Would you like to vote a straight party ticket?
Many places in America still see large amounts of straight party ticket voting. In places where this fading behavior is more common, election officials tend to improperly ask the question of voters getting assistance from the election official. In fact, I have never once heard the Republican version of this illegal behavior. “Would you like to vote a straight Republican Party ticket” are words I have never heard an election official improperly ask a voter. In fact, “Would you like to vote a straight Democratic Party ticket” is something being uttered all over Houston in early Texas voting right now. If you hear it happen, write down who said it, write down what you heard right after you heard it, and call election officials at the headquarters — then call Pajamas Media.
That should get everyone started. This year has seen an amazing amount of citizen interest in standing watch against voter fraud. Even if you don’t see it, remember, those who stand watch also serve. Go volunteer with your local political party. Ask a candidate if you can serve as a poll watcher. Make Election Day the active, participatory, national event it was meant to be.
A final note. Too often political parties cobble together a poll watching operation at the last second. And the training is weak, with folks being thrust into the field with no wisdom or experience. This is changing. Groups are establishing systemic training well before the election. The old way of a political party doing things is fading. A New Model Army of poll watchers is taking the field this election, totally separate from political parties, with an eye toward deploying thousands of highly trained watchers in 2012. Next Tuesday is just the beginning.
Voting machines in Nevada automatically picking Harry Reid.....go figure.... /s =.=
I ask EVERY time I vote to see who is registered at my address. I do not want my parents (passed away) voting anymore.
Went to Poll school last night. THing that stuck out was the instruction about write in candidates. It appears that in most states it’s not enough to just write in the approved name in space provided. After writing in the name one must then select that candidate by checking the box, connecting the lines etc....IOW vote for the person. Those working the polls in Alaska need to check their state laws for specific details. Just writing in Princess Lisa’s name may not be enough to actually caste a vote for her.
Voterfraud@foxnews.com
Anyone know who we can report suspected voter fraud to that will investigate it? Who do we send the evidence to for investigation and Prosecution? My first guess would be Drudge, Breitbart, Rush, Levin, Ingraham, Malkin, DeMint, Bachmann, Palin, Brewer because we have no one in this Regime who we can trust to uphold the law. Severe shortage of spine and guts within the RNC and leadership of the GOP at this time.
The new Black Panthers gang non-prosecution is a green light to all Dems that they will be allowed to do whatever they want as long as it wins votes for the “right” candidates.
Our country no longer has the moral authority to judge banana republics for their democratic processes.
The only solution is a mass wave of Republican votes to offset the fraud that we know is being perpetrated.
I am an election judge. I am amazed at the number of people who will ask me for whom they should vote. Really.
I normally start out by telling them that I am not allowed to tell them who to vote for. That stops most of them. But a few persist. “I know you are not *supposed* to tell me, but who would you vote for.”
My invariable response is “The person I feel is best qualified for the job. Why don’t you do the same?”
Machines adjusted and maintained by SEIU... What a break for them...
No wonder the Country is in the fix that it is... geez...
I used to drive for Trailways. On election day there would
be a bunch of “activists” putting Latinos on the bus in Iowa
City to go to Chicago. They would have a nice little packet
with their ticket and a primer on how to vote. The primer
always had lots of symbols to help those who couldn’t read. The only animal symbols were donkeys.
If they have to ask at the polling place for whom to vote, they shouldn’t be allowed to vote, and I don’t get this people waiting until the last minute to make up their mind for whom to vote
Voter fraud is revolting!!!
1) These electronic voting machines need to be burned in the streets. We need our paper ballots back.
2) We must demand valid ID and US citizenship to vote.
Here’s my question:
Is there any cross check between somebody voting early at an “early voting” site and the same person voting on election day at their precinct?
“I am an election judge. I am amazed at the number of people who will ask me for whom they should vote.”
Well,,, some of those people may be trying to get you to do something wrong. Getcha in trouble!
Pennsylvania law also states that absent voters must go to the polls on election day, if they are able, and void their absentee vote. After the polls are close, all absentee votes are checked against the day voter list and voided if the voter appeared in person. Only the are remaining absentee ballots shuffled and voted into the precinct totals with election judges (and any qualified poll watchers) present.
Happily, this is mostly a deep blue cesspool city problem. In my small MA town, any cheaters of violent adults would immediately be picked-up and carried to the police station by our poll watchers. The Blue Cesspools are mostly lost to us. However, this year it won’t matter. 8*)
The list, ping
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The author is good, but he missed a few tricks. For those who have not read my short booklet on vote fraud and what YOU can do to prevent it:
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1991953/posts
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2378786/posts
I learned a few new tricks recently. The most dangerous is when the dim Clerk prints out extra Access Codes for the ESlate machine. He hands up to 20 codes to his activist buddy when he comes through the line. By voting straight ticket, said activist can probably vote 20 times in a few minutes in the privacy of the booth.
Back when we used paper ballots I saw a similar trick. The dim Clerk at the Sign In Table would simply hand extra paper ballots to the activist who would then cast multiple ballots.
YOU GOTTA BE THERE! We need Republican Election Judges, Alternate Judges, and Poll Watchers. If nobody is looking they WILL COMMIT VOTE FRAUD. Hell, they tried multiple methods of fraud with me STANDING THERE WATCHING THEM.
Learn the law. Go to the Judge Law Class. You must be able to confront the dim Judge or Clerk and call the authorities. In my part of Texas we can call the County DA or County Attorney. If there is trouble, e.g., someone trying to intimidate Poll Watchers, the County Attorney will send a Constable to keep order.
My Fellow Freepers, we CAN win this one, but it does not end this November. Fraud is as old as civilization and our opponents LOVE TO CHEAT.
Please join me in this fight.
So how does one call Pajamas Media? Do they have a phone number?
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