“Ballot security” plan takes shape
Friday, Oct 3, 2014 - Posted by Rich Miller
* AP…
With their sights on unseating a Democratic governor and winning back several congressional seats, Republicans have allocated $1 million in Cook County alone — from fundraising and the Republican Governors Association — to examine voter rolls and recruit 5,000 GOP election judges to watch over polling places in Democrat-heavy Chicago.
In two counties east of St. Louis, the party is examining obituaries to ensure the deceased are removed from the rolls and tracking down death certificates. They’re looking for addresses where utility service has been cut off to determine if registered voters have moved. And they’re checking to see whether people are voting from addresses for vacant lots or commercial properties. Similar efforts are planned for Cook County.
State election officials say they also have noticed an uptick of GOP inquiries about voter registrations in at least two other counties in central Illinois.
Republicans say they’re guarding against voter fraud and responding to Democratic maneuvering to boost their side’s turnout, including adopting same-day registration and putting several non-binding questions on the ballot to appeal to liberal and working-class voters, such as whether Illinois should tax millionaires. The GOP fears outdated voter rolls and a last-minute Democratic push to the polling stations will allow ineligible votes. […]
Rauner told The Associated Press he has been told about the initiative but that the state party, not his campaign, is overseeing it and raising funds. State Sen. Jim Oberweis, a Republican dairy magnate challenging Democratic U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin, said his campaign was working on it with Rauner’s campaign. Oberweis told AP that Republicans believed they could find up to 60,000 ineligible voters in Chicago. But a campaign spokesman later said that information was “essentially third hand” and “possibly incorrect,” and referred all questions to a state party spokesman.
Chicago has already purged 50,000 “inactive” voters from the rolls, about what it does every year, according to the article.
- Formerly Known As... - Friday, Oct 3, 14 @ 11:44 am:
As long as this is a ballot-security and not a ballot-suppression effort, then no one should have any problems with it.
If there is nothing to find, then there is nothing to worry about. If anything, we should expect it proves a waste of money that could have been spent attacking Mr. Quinn or in other races.
- Ducky LaMoore - Friday, Oct 3, 14 @ 11:45 am:
Well obviously without all of this fraud, Republicans would always win elections.
It amazes me how much conjecture the ILGOP can get away with. They can’t even gather any evidence to support their odd claims. Oy.
- CircularFiringSquad - Friday, Oct 3, 14 @ 11:45 am:
Opps, again
“Rauner told The Associated Press he has been told about the initiative but that the state party, not his campaign, is overseeing it and raising funds. State Sen. Jim Oberweis, a Republican dairy magnate challenging Democratic U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin, said his campaign was working on it with Rauner’s campaign.
Oberweis told AP that Republicans believed they could find up to 60,000 ineligible voters in Chicago. But a campaign spokesman later said that information was “essentially third hand” and “possibly incorrect,” and referred all questions to a state party spokesman.”
Mitt tries to duck the suppression stuff, but ChopperJim to the rescue and thump.
Guess we will need to triple the rental payment at the credit union and “outreach” coordinator
- Oswego Willy - Friday, Oct 3, 14 @ 11:46 am:
===Oberweis told AP that Republicans believed they could find up to 60,000 ineligible voters in Chicago. But a campaign spokesman later said that information was “essentially third hand” and “possibly incorrect,” and referred all questions to a state party spokesman.===
Jim Oberweis, leader of the Slytherins, the most un-inclusive former SCC Member, leader of pitchforks and torches…
You are a Dope.
You are dragging Rauner into this too?
You got numbers wrong too?
Your spokesman couldn’t bail your Dopiness out and referred your own Dopiness to be saved by the state party…too?
Embarrassingly pathetic.
The “Jim Oberweises” are ruining My Party. Here is another expletive of it.
Senator Oberweis,
You were doing so well, you just can’t help…being you;
Exclusive, out of touch, elitist, and non-inclusive.
How about you take your black helicopter and do My Party a favor and fly somewhere so you don’t embarrass My Party anymore by saying things that make us less attractive.
- Been There - Friday, Oct 3, 14 @ 11:46 am:
Having worked every election day volunteering for candidates for at least 32 years in either Chicago or Cook, I don’t think I ever saw anything hinky during anyone of them. Maybe some violations of the 100 foot rule but that’s it. The precinct captains and committeemen don’t want a bunch of people on their voter rolls who don’t or can’t vote. That makes your turnout percentage look bad.
- Formerly Known As... - Friday, Oct 3, 14 @ 11:47 am:
And with the recent media stories in the Metro East area, there are still questions to be answered about the job some are doing in terms of oversight.
What was it, something like 35 people with different surnames registered in a 900 square foot house, and so on? Seemed unusual.
- walker - Friday, Oct 3, 14 @ 11:51 am:
No “ballot-security” initiatives in big Republican districts?
Okay then.
When will the party grow up, and not keep pushing the “we are victims” narrative?
- Anonymous - Friday, Oct 3, 14 @ 11:51 am:
this is from the bag man blushing chris?
- Carl Nyberg - Friday, Oct 3, 14 @ 11:54 am:
The Bush administration Justice Department spent considerable resources researching voting fraud.
Do you think Bush ordered Chicago overlooked b/c he was doing a favor for Richie Daley?
This is a good example of Republicans stewing in their own paranoid beliefs.
Is this effort going to find a couple hundred people who remain registered at their former addresses? Yep.
It’s going to find people who have gutted their homes for rehab and are living someplace else. It’s going to find other stuff too.
But most of the few hundred people it finds are going to be Illinois citizens who are eligible to vote at some Illinois address.
If Republicans were objective instead of telling themselves lies, the money would be better spent…
- foster brooks - Friday, Oct 3, 14 @ 11:54 am:
Paranoia will destroy ya
- Rich Miller - Friday, Oct 3, 14 @ 11:55 am:
===What was it, something like 35 people with different surnames registered in a 900 square foot house, and so on?===
Um, no.
The BND found 68 people registered in 5 small homes, of whom 17 voted in the last election.
Most of that was probably just old registrations. Poor people tend to move a lot. Only one house was suspicious, a 2,250-square-foot mobile home in Centreville with 12 voters.
http://www.bnd.com/2014/09/13/3400027_possible-problems-remain-with.html?rh=1
- Carl Nyberg - Friday, Oct 3, 14 @ 11:56 am:
Oberweis is trying to sell himself in the Black community and he aspires to knock 60,000 Chicagoans off the voting rolls?
- too obvious - Friday, Oct 3, 14 @ 11:56 am:
Are Rauner and IL GOP giving “volunteers” a choice of sidearms to choose from?
Seriously. Sounds like a continuation of that hugely embarrassing disaster where they had openly armed investigators trying to get Libertarian Party petition signers and circulators to recant. That whole mess is reportedly under federal and state investigation according to the Libertarians.
- The Captain - Friday, Oct 3, 14 @ 12:01 pm:
If the Republicans want to throw away a million dollars looking for voter fraud or bigfoot or the easter bunny then be my guest.
The danger in regularly using deceptive talking points is that eventually one of those people who’ve come to believe them will get put in charge and then you end up pissing away a million dollars that could have been used on something that would actually help.
There is no large scale organized voter fraud going on by Democrats. There is, however, a lot of drama that we get sucked into when trying to increase turnout in these areas and if the Repblicans want to step into that quagmire then I certainly welcome that too.
- LincolnLounger - Friday, Oct 3, 14 @ 12:04 pm:
I cannot imagine why anyone would have any trouble with this. Getting dead people off the rolls and paying GOP election judges for areas that never have them. I suspect the benefits reaped will be negligible, but I don’t see how anyone but the most dedicated partisan would object.
As for Oberweis, he doesn’t even have a campaign for himself let alone working in conjunction with others on projects like this. Clearly, just a “Me, too?” thing about which they have no clue.
- Rich Miller - Friday, Oct 3, 14 @ 12:05 pm:
In 2008, the national GOP flooded Chicago with tons of lawyers looking for fraud. They came up empty.
Just sayin…
- Thunder Fred - Friday, Oct 3, 14 @ 12:15 pm:
In 2010 I asked for a Republican ballot to vote in my Chicago neighborhood. After much insistence and about 10 minutes of searching they finally found one.
- truthteller - Friday, Oct 3, 14 @ 12:16 pm:
Rauner seeks to attract African-American votes as he seeks to knock African-American voters off the rolls.
Anyone want to take bets that the GOP will not aim disproportionately at A-A districts?
Colossal waste of money, potential p.r. disaster.
Reminds me of the Medicaid rolls. Yes, there were people who had moved out of state who still appeared on the rolls?
Did any of them try to obtain services after they moved? I didn’t see any reports of it. But, hey, it’s a great talking point for a party which is bankrupt of ideas and a candidate who is expert at generating even more bankruptcies
- Formerly Known As... - Friday, Oct 3, 14 @ 12:18 pm:
Thanks, Rich
- Jimmy CrackCorn - Friday, Oct 3, 14 @ 12:18 pm:
GOP Logic:We will likely end up preventing scores of eligible voters, whose votes we have supposedly been winning, from voting on election day
“State Senator Oberweis says he cannot win the U.S. Senate seat without votes cast by African Americans, so he’s pulling out all the stops to get his share.”-ABC 7 report
“I see the penetration that were having in the African-American and Latino community. Bruce is going out and speaking to them. Jim Oberweis is going out and speaking to them. I see a lot of those people that have previously voted Democrat, voting Republican.” -Tim Schneider at City Club
- Sir Reel - Friday, Oct 3, 14 @ 12:19 pm:
Voter fraud: non issue.
Candidate fraud: big issue.
- Skeptic - Friday, Oct 3, 14 @ 12:20 pm:
Thunder Fred: I would suspect numerous downstate Dems have experienced similar situations.
- Formerly Known As... - Friday, Oct 3, 14 @ 12:23 pm:
== 15 registered voters with seven different last names list their home address as 4320 Bunkum Road in Washington Park, a 900-square-foot home. One of those voters cast a ballot in the Democratic primary in April. ==
Well, at least I got the “5″ and the “900″ right. That “3″ in ==35== instead of a “1″ for ==15== was definitely a problem though lol.
Good to see I’m not completely losing my marbles in the old noggin’ just yet.
- Anonymous - Friday, Oct 3, 14 @ 12:23 pm:
This is a non-event. If the republicans want to waste money on this, who cares? If there’s no fraud, there’s no problem– they just wasted their money. If there is fraud, then it needs to be stopped. There’s no downside.
- wndycty - Friday, Oct 3, 14 @ 12:26 pm:
Whoops wrong thread I meant to post my 12:25pm post in the monopoly thread. Sorry Rich
- Anonymous - Friday, Oct 3, 14 @ 12:30 pm:
Rauner probably doesn’t help with the planning, he’s not much of a plan guy.
However, those big checks he’s writing undoubtedly pay for it. Can’t wait to hear about armed security guards at polling places.
- Anon III - Friday, Oct 3, 14 @ 12:31 pm:
Governor Earl Long’s quip: “When I die, I want to be buried in Louisiana, so I can stay active
in politics.”
- Yellow Dog Democrat - Friday, Oct 3, 14 @ 12:32 pm:
=== Oberweis told AP that Republicans believed they could find up to 60,000 ineligible voters in Chicago. ===
Hey, let’s round them up in Soldier Field.
I'’m not sure which consultant is sheering the sheep this time, but good gracious. Well, good for you I guess.
- The Captain - Friday, Oct 3, 14 @ 12:35 pm:
“In 2010 I asked for a Republican ballot to vote in my Chicago neighborhood. After much insistence and about 10 minutes of searching they finally found one.”
This is a general election, there are no Republican ballots there are just ballots.
- Anon - Friday, Oct 3, 14 @ 12:35 pm:
Seems like a silly waste of money. Just imagine how many rounfpds of golf Tom Cross could play with that million? Or how many fancy wine clubs Rainer could join? Or how many helicopter rides Obie could take. Such a shameful waste of precious resources!
- Norseman - Friday, Oct 3, 14 @ 12:44 pm:
Perhaps the money would be better spent on voter turnout than voter security.
- Pot calling kettle - Friday, Oct 3, 14 @ 12:45 pm:
==Rauner told The Associated Press he has been told about the initiative but that the state party, not his campaign, is overseeing it and raising funds.==
This is a very consistent theme from Rauner. In charge, but not responsible for what happens.
- Amalia - Friday, Oct 3, 14 @ 12:54 pm:
I have heard of some, isolated instances of what is called voter fraud. Ghost voting is rare. what is more likely is voter intimidation, judges violating protocol, electioneering within the forbidden zone.
mostly these Republican efforts are laughable except when they work to diminish the opportunities to vote, the places, the hours, the days. then I consider that to be a sort of fraud.
- 32nd Ward Roscoe Village - Friday, Oct 3, 14 @ 12:57 pm:
“Jim Oberweis, leader of the Slytherins,…”
Thanks, OW, for another Pepsi on the keyboard moment.
- wordslinger - Friday, Oct 3, 14 @ 1:09 pm:
–Perhaps the money would be better spent on voter turnout than voter security–
No kidding.
Is it possible these guys have started to believe their own crazy spin?
The crazy talk is that individuals go from polling place to polling place, committing multiple felonies by forging signatures that they have no idea of how they should appear, to add a handful of votes. Quite a massive undertaking.
What’s weird is, old-school dudes in the GOP know how real voter fraud worked; they had plenty of practice at it.
Those who controlled the voting machinery voted people who didn’t show up after the polls closed. Easy.
- Yellow Dog Democrat - Friday, Oct 3, 14 @ 1:19 pm:
wordslinger:
I think the GOP plan is brilliant. They ought to spend $2 million and have 10,000 poll watchers in Cook County.
You don’t want the Democrat Party marching 50 homeless in to vote while you are in the bathroom.
I heard they do that. With NRI money.
You can’t be to careful.
- Del Clinkton - Friday, Oct 3, 14 @ 1:27 pm:
I’m curious where all of this exciting voter fraud happens.
- Jimbo - Friday, Oct 3, 14 @ 1:31 pm:
FKA, depends on those surnames. Also, maybe you don’t quite understand how poor some of the metro east is? It ain’t always fraud, sometimes it is bad record keeping, other times it is a bunch of people holed up in a hovel.
- Skeptic - Friday, Oct 3, 14 @ 1:42 pm:
“I’m curious where all of this exciting voter fraud happens.” I don’t know…in my precinct the most exciting thing that happens is when someone brings food.
- Anyone Remember - Friday, Oct 3, 14 @ 1:46 pm:
For years, Fox News would complain about Alexander County - more voters than adults. Finally the County “purged” the rolls. And how did the County manage to do this? The State Board of Elections paid the postage the county could not afford!
http://watchdog.org/57409/il-southern-illinois-counties-cull-more-than-4000-voters-from-rolls/
And before anyone starts down the road “they could afford it” this was the county that saw the Sheriff’s vehicles repossessed.
http://www.cbsnews.com/news/cop-cars-repossessed/
- wordslinger - Friday, Oct 3, 14 @ 1:49 pm:
Given voter-turnout levels, these alleged fraudsters are doing a lousy job. Leaving a lot of votes in the field.
But the idea among the Eternal Victims is real. Every time they lose, it’s due to voter fraud. That’s the explanation for why Mitt’s polls were so whack.
- Yellow Dog Democrat - Friday, Oct 3, 14 @ 2:53 pm:
Like I said, Wordslinger.
They should shift $1 million out of tv and double down on poll watchers.
- Formerly Known As... - Friday, Oct 3, 14 @ 2:57 pm:
== It ain’t always fraud, sometimes it is bad record keeping ==
Well said, Jimbo. It often seems to be an issue of bad record keeping and limited resources. Issues that still need to be addressed and answered for, but not necessarily fraud.
In that earlier example, only one of those people voted. Most likely it was an actual resident of that address, while the other registered names were prior residents left remaining on outdated voter rolls.
- Andy S. - Friday, Oct 3, 14 @ 4:26 pm:
I have no problem with increased vigilance provided it is applied in all areas of the state, not just the heavily Democratic areas. How do we know there is no irregularity in Republican areas, for example, people who have moved returning to their old polling place to vote?