Officials address voter registration challenges

[Judi Lynn]

Oct. 26, 2005
Officials address voter registration challenges
Reports that the King County Republican Party intends to challenge the registration of voters who receive their ballots at post office boxes or personal mail boxes have prompted calls to the King County Elections office from voters concerned they won’t be able to vote in the November 8 General Election.

"Voters have called concerned that their right to vote is in jeopardy for the General Election or afraid that they will not receive their ballots at a mailing address. We want to reassure voters that it is perfectly acceptable to have a separate mailing address for voting," said Dean Logan, Director of King County Records, Elections and Licensing Services. Voters are required to list a residential address when they register, but state law allows the use of P.O. Boxes, personal mail boxes, military APO addresses, or any address a voter wishes to use for mailing purposes.

The King County Republican Party today provided research alleging 1,943 voters are illegally registered at mailbox-rental facilities. In the voter database used by King County to generate ballots for the Nov. 8 General Election, no P.O. Boxes or addresses that are identified as Personal Mail Box facilities are listed as residence addresses. Unless a voter uses the words PO Box or PMB on their registration form, officials have no cause to second guess a voter's signed registration. Many retail stores that rent personal mail boxes are located on the ground floors of apartment or condominiums and some share the street address with residents.

Earlier this month, the King County Republican Party challenged 5,222 registrations alleging that the voters were registered to vote more than once in King County. After reviewing state laws regarding voter registration and consulting with the county’s legal counsel, Logan’s office determined that these were not valid challenges to the individuals' qualifications as registered voters. The alleged existence of a duplicate registration is not among the reasons listed in state law for bringing challenges. The county is, however, using the information provided in the challenges and comparing data in the voter registration records to determine if duplications exist and to correct the records to reflect the existence of only one registration.
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http://www.metrokc.gov/elections/news/2005_10_26.htm

[droidamus]

1. True Americans

Isn't it amazing how these true blue patriotic Americans that call themselves Republicans spend so much time trying to interfere with citizens Constitutional right to vote and have it counted. There should be some penalty for bringing frivolous challenges and there should be very limited ability to challenge when voting is actually happening.