Dirty tricks to influence (US) election outcome

[PIMking]

but how does that work on your early ballot that you can mail in. I havent seen a single one that says send a photocopy of your ID.

[Iowa_Flames_Fan]

Originally Posted by PIMking

but how does that work on your early ballot that you can mail in. I havent seen a single one that says send a photocopy of your ID.

I'm not a voter--and don't live in Illinois, so I can't really help you there. But I have to imagine there's some proof of identity and of residence required for absentee ballotting.

Here's some information you may find helpful:
http://www.elections.state.il.us/Vot...wnloadAbs.aspx

From the looks of it, "early" voting is subject to the same rules as regular voting, and absentee voting requires you to fill out and sign an affidavit. However, not just anyone can vote absentee--it looks like you need to have a valid reason, which I think is fair enough.

What's silly is that there are 50 sets of these rules and no federal oversight, but that's another story.


The fact is, there's no evidence of rampant voter fraud in the U.S.--and that includes ACORN. This has been studied at length, and the penalties are too harsh for such a small payoff (1 vote), so people generally just don't try it. That doesn't mean there aren't problems, or people breaking the rules--but cheating tends to be done by campaigns, not by individuals--and the reason is that a campaign has far more to gain by cheating than an individual person does. So this notion that hordes of people are going to flock to ballot boxes under their goldfish's name and cast ballots for Obama (especially in Illinois, where Obama's 30 point lead makes rampant cheating that much less likely) is just not supported by the facts.

[PIMking]

I dont live in illinois I live in Iowa.

[llama64]

Originally Posted by Iowa_Flames_Fan

<snip>

So this notion that hordes of people are going to flock to ballot boxes under their goldfish's name and cast ballots for Obama (especially in Illinois, where Obama's 30 point lead makes rampant cheating that much less likely) is just not supported by the facts.

Why let facts get in the way of a perfectly good political argument?

[Iowa_Flames_Fan]

Originally Posted by PIMking

I dont live in illinois I live in Iowa.

Fair point. This is info. for Johnson county, where I used to live, but should apply to you.
http://www.johnson-county.com/audito...m#Instructions

For absentee ballots, you must provide a signature and an Iowa driver's license no. or SSN. Not sure what else they do.
http://www.sos.state.ia.us/elections...lot/index.html

[PIMking]

Originally Posted by Iowa_Flames_Fan

Fair point. This is info. for Johnson county, where I used to live, but should apply to you.
http://www.johnson-county.com/audito...m#Instructions

For absentee ballots, you must provide a signature and an Iowa driver's license no. or SSN. Not sure what else they do.
http://www.sos.state.ia.us/elections...lot/index.html

I lived in Coralville for about 3 years. did you attend the university of Iowa?

[Calgaryborn]

Originally Posted by Iowa_Flames_Fan

The ACORN thing is a massive storm in a teapot, though it does illustrate the wisdom of doing as Canada does, and leaving lists of electors in the hands of an arm of government in charge of elections.

ACORN is authorized to register people to vote, and is bound by law to return all the forms they get, even those they believe are fraudulent. ACORN has in the past hired "field workers" to collect registration forms, telling those workers to meet certain quotas. Some of those workers, perhaps a large number, decided it was easier to make the names up, meet their quotas and collect their paycheques. But the motive was money, not "voter fraud."

Essentially, these people have defrauded ACORN and as a result will add names to the rolls of people who will never vote, because they don't exist. It isn't that easy to walk into a polling place and say "I'm Mickey Mouse and I live at 123 Fake Street, and my SSN is 123456789"--and get a ballot. You need I.D. and in many cases proof of address, and that's if the name didn't get purged after ACORN or an election official noticed that the form was suspicious. The biggest problem here is that it creates a ton of extra work for already over-burdened election officials and will probably cost a ton of money to fix in the end. But "massive voter fraud?" Hardly.

So John McCain's "fabric of democracy" nonsense was just that--nonsense. This is a very serious matter, that reflects poorly on ACORN's oversight of their field workers, and affects the integrity of the list of electors. But it's not "massive voter fraud"--and McCain knows that very well.

A huge way ACORN is influencing this election is by giving the impression that the Democrats have a lot more registered voters. The poll trackers use the ratio of registered Republicans to registered Democrats to fix discrepancies in their overnight polling. If a particular State tells them they have 2 new Democrats registered for every Republican they use that ratio in combination with their polls. If of the 500 phone calls made only half of the registered voters are Democrats they use the State ratio to fix the number. This of course gives the appearance that Barack is doing better than he is.

Acorn is working mainly in the swing States. Acorn is being investigated in at least 11 of them. A second way ACORN is influencing this election is by flooding these States with registrations. There is only so much time and manpower. They can't legally deny someone their vote because they haven't had the time to fact check. Early voting has already begun in some States. If you are intent on voting fraudulently ACORN has increased your chances of not getting caught. The easiest way to commit voter fraud is by registration in multiple counties. You use your State drivers licence or ID card and a false address. You than take a tour of the different counties in your State to vote early or on election day. Those counties who haven't had the opportunity to fact check your Registration are obliged to let you vote. The others who have will tell you they couldn't find evidence of your current address. In those cases you just walk away complaining of being disenfranchised.

ACORN members have been convicted in every election cycle of election fraud. This is not a new game. They always claim it is isolated to the individuals. They are claiming to pick through the registrations brought in and identify the questionable ones. This hasn't been confirmed by any of the States being overwhelmed by these bogus registrations.

ACORN has recieved $800 000 from Obama's election campaign to do their work. ACORN was also in line to receive millions in earmarks from the originally drafted Democrat bailout package. It was dropped before the first package was voted on because of Republican protest. I suspect if Obama gets in you will see a lot more of this organization in the next few years.

[PIMking]

well Iowa is only worth 7 electorial votes so going to other counties is out for me. I dont want either to win that bad...

[Calgaryborn]

Originally Posted by PIMking

well Iowa is only worth 7 electorial votes so going to other counties is out for me. I dont want either to win that bad...

Can you use the mail in option?

[PIMking]

Originally Posted by Calgaryborn

Can you use the mail in option?

haha. My time is worth more than that. maybe I can hire some Mexican illegal to do it since no americans want to do it at that wage.

[transplant99]

This of course gives the appearance that Barack is doing better than he is.

Then as an unabashed McCain supporter, this is good news for you!!

[CaramonLS]

Originally Posted by PIMking

Im only 23. I voted the last go around but I dont remember it being this bad.

Im just frusterated. I will say I was a commited McCain voter until about two weeks ago. Thank god I didnt vote early like alot of people are.

BTW someone in Illinois was sent an absentee ballot from the democratic headquarteds for her dead GOLDFISH. Stuff like that just makes me think things are hopeless for this country no matter who is voted in legally or injustly.

How would anyone aside from the owner even know the name of her dead goldfish? Sounds pretty "fishy" to me.

[PIMking]

Originally Posted by CaramonLS

How would anyone aside from the owner even know the name of her dead goldfish? Sounds pretty "fishy" to me.

It was a mailing piece sent to the house in her fishes name. They had a 2nd phone line in the fishes name to see what kind of spam mail they would get and the fish was registered by some one to vote and its a democrat.... dang it I missed the Flames score while typing this..

I hate you now.

[Iowa_Flames_Fan]

Originally Posted by PIMking

I lived in Coralville for about 3 years. did you attend the university of Iowa?

Yeah. I lived in Coralville for about 8 years. I love the Iowa City area, actually. It's maybe the one place in the States I'd voluntarily live.