Early Voting Hits A Snag In Northwest Indiana

[struggle4progress]

Source: CBS

Oct 13, 2008 10:19 pm US/Central

CROWN POINT, Ind ― Early voting has hit a snag in Northwest Indiana. Charges of voting fraud mean early ballots won't be cast in Gary, Hammond and East Chicago for now ...

Republican leadership got a temporary restraining order to keep early voting centers from opening in three cities ...

"We all know what that's about, to slow down or stop people from voting and disenfranchise people, especially the democratic votes," said Rudy Clay, Democratic Party Chairman, Lake County, Ind.

People who can't vote early in their home cities can do so at the Lake County government center in Crown Point. It is about a 20-minute drive from the affected cities. A superior court judge will hear the case Tuesday, but it is a case that could drag on for days ...

Read more: http://cbs2chicago.com/local/early.voting.snag.2.839666.html

[truthisfreedom]

1. rethugs HATE Democracy. They don't want the vote... they want the crowning.

They want succession.

[chalky]

2. So...so far they've hit in Indiana and South Carolina.

I can't wait to see how many more problem areas will have sprung up while I slept the night away.

(The post on South Carolina)

[bunner]

3. VOTING PROBLEMS

WELL The Republicans are at it again!!OHIO will be the next one!!

[mucifer]

4. The Obama Campaign is fighting back in Indiana by providing free shuttles

twice a day from Gary to Crown Point so people don't have to pay for gas to early vote.

[4lbs]

5. Great! I'm sure the Obama campaign will make sure that those that don't have transporation

can take such shuttles or carpool to the polling places.

[1776Forever]

6. I will probably get yelled out for this - but ACORN just didn't do enough to protect the vote IMO...

I am not saying that they should not have had people out there trying to get people registered BUT they should have had more oversight into the employees and how they were conducting themselves. Just a few hours of checking out a sample amount of voter registration would have helped here. I can see in these troubled times why some people would forge names but that doesn't mean that the Management of the program shouldn't be held responsible for some of it. This is the result now of this mis-management. Time for someone to step up and admit that some people did cheat their way to a paycheck which I believe has happened. Too bad it was such an important issue that they affected with it!

[Doremus]

9. You need to read up on their procedures.

They are required by law to submit all applications, bogus or not. They knew exactly which ones were no good because they have strong internal controls. In fact, they actually bundled the bad ones separately and labeled them as such before turning them in. Catch 22.

This is nothing more than a gop disenfranchisement attempt.

[1776Forever]

12. OK - but why didn't they try to get the law changed? That sounds like an accident waiting to happen

I am sure they did try to do their best - just trying to say that maybe their procedures should be looked at to improve the process.

Thanks for the info.

[Doremus]

15. Where would you suggest they improve their procedures?

"As part of our nonpartisan voter registration program, ACORN staff reviews every single application submitted by our canvassers. Special, dedicated staff makes up to three phone calls attempting to reach the voter listed on EVERY SINGLE CARD before they are turned in to verify the information. Our callers verify the information on the cards before turning them in to election officials to make sure that as many new voters as possible get on the rolls and to make sure that all of our voter registration workers are doing the high quality work they are trained to do.

"Anytime ACORN quality control staff has identified a suspicious application, we have separated that application out and flagged it for election officials. We turn any suspicious applications to election officials separately, along with a cover sheet identifying the nature of the problem and an offer to provide election officials with the information they would need to pursue an investigation or prosecution of the individual. (Note that civic organizations are required by law to turn over ANY signed voter registration applications even when they are known to have problems). We immediately dismiss any employees we suspect of submitting fraudulent registrations."

http://www.webwire.com/ViewPressRel.asp?aId=76934

When you figure it out drop them an email. I'm sure they'd appreciate it.

[pipoman]

19. They could improve their results

by simply removing registration quotas from their employees, IMHO. The quotas are what entices their employees to turn in fraudulent registrations.

[Triana]

7. I expect the pigshits will pull this in every state that has early voting...

...and every state that doesn't

[bertman]

10. "pigshits". Perfect.

[Triana]

11. well I hate to insult the pigs, ya know so...resorted to calling them pigshits

'Pig' is too good for 'em.

[progressoid]

8. They don't even try to hide it anymore.

It's just so blatant.

[prolesunited]

13. This is the GOP's best hope

of stealing Indiana. Gary, Hammond and East Chicago is the state's strongest Democratic stronghold and to deny early voting is their best way of dampening voter turnout. I'm sure those cities will the "accidentally" plagued by long lines, too few machines and broken machines on Election Day. That's why there was such a push for early voting.

Funny how the people can still early vote in Crown Point, with that town and the surrounding ones being much more GOP leaning. If satellite voting is ripe for fraud, why is it OK in one area and not the other?!?!

And there weren't charges of VOTING fraud. There were bad registrations. BIG difference. ACORN set those aside, flagged them but were required to turn them in.

Indiana is being stolen, since the margin is close enough for their dirty tricks to make a difference, in the courts once again.

The campaign is on top of it with transportation, but this is just bullshit.

[april]

14. Please all of us Respond every time we hear this

Send emails make calls THIS IS SOMETHING WE CAN DO FROM OUR HOMES!!

Lets win this election !!!

[Delphinus]

16. I've been registered to vote

since I was 18 - so I don't expect this will affect me, but I've decided to wait and vote because of this. I want my vote to count.

[phusion]

17. Look at the latest news here on DU

Probably 30%+ of the stories are related to voting issues. This is very worrying...

[OakCliffDem]

18. Kick

[Hawkowl]

20. The only heavily Dem district in the state

Northwest Indiana is the only reliable democratic district in the whole state. These charges of non-existent voter fraud are infuriating. The election theft is starting early this year.