Obama Campaign Asks Wis DOJ For Action on GOP Voter Suppression Plans

[Life Long Dem]

10. Romney Campaign Training Poll Watchers To Mislead Voters In Wisconsin

http://thinkprogress.org/justice/2012/10/30/1106961/romney-wisconsin-poll-watchers/

Mitt Romney’s campaign has been training poll watchers in Wisconsin with highly misleading — and sometimes downright false — information about voters’ rights.

Here are four misleading or incorrect pieces of information disbursed by the Romney campaign:

CLAIM: Any “person convicted of treason, a felony, or bribery” isn’t eligible to vote.

FACT: Once a person who has been convicted of a felony completes his or her sentence, including probation and fines, that person is eligible to vote.

CLAIM: “The ONLY Acceptable Forms of “Proof of Residency”.

FACT: The list used is incomplete. There are many other documents people can use to prove residency that are not included, such as letters from public schools, student loan papers, correspondence with a Native American tribe in Wisconsin, vehicle registration, and food stamp correspondances. In addition, the list fails to mention that homeless voters may use an affidavit from a public or private social service agency as proof of residency.

CLAIM: “If a handicapped voter is unable to come into the polls to vote, an assistant can deliver the ballot to the voter if the CEI verifies the elector’s proof of residency.”

FACT: Under Wisconsin law, the CEI (Chief Election Inspector) does not have to verify proof of residency so long as the voter is registered.

CLAIM: “Election Observers should not assist [voters].”

FACT: A voter can ask for assistance from anyone, including a poll watcher, so long as the voter initiates the request and does not engage in electioneering.