Opinion
Wisconsin election ripe with voter irregularities
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Also by Mark A. Baumgardner:
- Wisconsin election ripe with voter irregularities (January 24, 2005)
- As absurd as March snow (December 1, 2004)
- Good morning, Milwaukee (November 17, 2004)
- ASM resolution wasteful (November 10, 2004)
- Re-elect George Bush to the presidency (October 27, 2004)
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President George W. Bush’s victory became official with the counting of the Electoral College votes, despite the objections of Rep. Stephanie Tubbs Jones (D-Ohio) and Sen. Barbara Boxer (D-Calif.). They alleged irregularities in Ohio. While President Bush’s inauguration to a second term this week gives finality to the election process, legitimate questions remain over the voting process, particularly here in Wisconsin.
After the November election, State Assembly Representative Jeff Stone (R-Greenfield) requested information from the Milwaukee Election Commission, including statistics pertaining to same-day voter registration cards. Unlike most states, Wisconsin allows “same-day” voter registration at the polls on Election Day. Milwaukee, the largest municipality in Wisconsin, saw several questionable voting incidents in the November 2000 election. Elections officials could not verify an estimated 12,000 addresses on voter registration cards in 2000.
The exact number of Milwaukee same-day voter registration cards returned due to invalid or non-existent names or addresses remains somewhat unknown. With this in mind, Stone sought information shortly after this past election, seeking tallies on the number of same-day voter registrations within the municipality and the number of voter registration cards returned.
Among other information, registration cards require a name and address. Shortly after completing a registration card, elections officials mail the card to the address written on the card to validate the registration. Returned cards indicate invalid registrations. Cards not returned generally indicate valid information, although inconclusively — the possibility always exists for mail to land in the hands of individuals other than the addressee.
According to Stone staff member Michael Pyritz, the Milwaukee Election Commission contacted Stone’s office on January 7, informing them of roughly 8400 same-day voter registrations, of which about 7379 were actually mailed out. The Milwaukee Election Commission mailed these registrations on January 6 — the same day the Electoral College votes were counted and finalized and much too late to correct the impact of any fraudulent voting.
Unfortunately, the bad news got worse. After a series of contacts, the Milwaukee Election Commission acknowledged a mistake in the initial figures. According to Pyritz, the commission now confirms that roughly 84,000 same-day voter registrations occurred, with 73,079 cards actually mailed out.
Astonishingly, over 10,000 — one in eight — same-day registration cards were immediately invalidated and never even mailed for verification. Reasons include duplicate registrations and illegible handwriting on the cards. This number does not include legible registrations with invalid names and addresses which the post office will return over the next couple of weeks.
Time will tell how many registrations return as invalid, but early indications do not bode well for the final tally. Pyritz cited the example of Florida, in which nearly one-third of new registrations were returned as undeliverable and noted that 24,600 cards could be returned in Milwaukee alone if the same trends occur in Wisconsin. “[That is] a stunning number if you combine the 24,600 and 10,000,” he said. Incidentally, the Wisconsin State Elections Board shows only an 11,384 vote difference between Sen. John Kerry and President Bush. Considering the questionable practices of the New Voters Project and other organizations, Stone’s investigation will not likely consider all vote fraud that occurred throughout Wisconsin and its impacts on the final results.
This story exposes two major flaws (among several) in Wisconsin election law. Although state law requires municipalities to begin the process of verifying voter registration cards immediately upon submission, the process can conclude much later, as shown in this story. Additionally, this shows further need for photo identification at the polls in Wisconsin.
Pyritz addressed the issues of photo identification and same-day voter registration saying, “If we don’t change same-day voter registration, we need to make it as easy as possible for [poll workers] to verify whose voting.” If nothing else, requiring voters utilizing same-day registration to show photo identification matching their name and current address for which they intend to register would provide an easy and instant check against many fraudulent votes. The normal pre-registration process would presumably allow enough time for verification of registrations for students and others who do not possess photo identification containing their current address.
Correctly, Pyritz discussed the need to balance the process. “We would love 100 percent voter turnout in Wisconsin. … But by the same token, one guy shouldn’t be voting 15 times,” he said.
Many, particularly those on the left, have taken the “no blood, no foul” approach to vote fraud in Wisconsin and have opposed any meaningful attempts to curtail it on that standard. Perhaps these discoveries in Milwaukee do indeed reveal fraud or, alternatively, incompetence of certain polling officials or other irregularities.
Regardless, they reveal something wrong, and that something requires thorough investigation and future prevention.
Mark A. Baumgardner (mbaumgardner@wisc.edu) is a senior majoring in electrical engineering.
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What about "Rep." Gwen Moore's kid slashing the tires on cars? That is a completely underreported story. Just imagine had that been Sensenbrenner's kid. It would be national news.
I Smell the Reek of Partisan Fear Mongering in the Air.
State Rep. Jeff Stone uncovered Nothing of Significance other than Poor Penmanship.
This sort of Ridiculous Fear Mongering that someone may have Voted 15 Times is completely Made-up, and Reeketh of Bullshit.
This Opinion was Terrible, Useless and Unfounded. Find a new Controversy to Flog, you Tired, Worn Out Republicans Hacks.
This is so Not News, Not New, and Not Important, I can't beleive I've Wasted My Ancient Breath on this Horse Shite.
Locke, out
By "ripe with irregularities" did you really mean, "one conservative didn't get elected, and considering how many other ones were elected on Nov. 2 this has to be wrong"? Get over yourself, if we can't be soar losers then you sure as hell can't be a soar winner.
Ripe or rife?
Outstanding story. Hard to find this story anywhere in WI news media, let alone reporting it for what it really is, Democrat vote fraud. It is becoming increasingly clear that WI was stolen. How far up this scandal will go depends on how the lefty local media will pursue the story, which is probably about zero.
Utter fucking bullshit.
Does your current photo ID match your current name and address? What a crock of shit! IF Drivers Licenses are good for ten years, who the fuck is going to have a drivers license that matches their current address? Republicans living in the motherfucking soul sucking suburbs, that's who.
This is such shit, just the Republicans disenfranchising voters yet again.
There is not proof of ONE SINGLE FUCKING PERSON voting twice in WI. This is whining, pathetic fucking shit. Baumgardner, you are truly sad. No controversy, nothing here...fucking hell.
Will Republicans ever stop whining? Will they ever, for once in their racist, homophobic, poor hating lives ever admit that things aren't as bad as they want them to be?
There isn't going to be much follow up on this story, because there is no story. The "lefty liberal media" is not ignoring it, this was front-page Milwaukee Journal news.
Come on...just admit it...you hate that the fag-lovin', poor-huggin', reality based livin' liberals keep beating your ass in WI...like we should.
Give it up, losers.
Just imagine what the reaction would have been if a person of no color would have read an "extensive dictionary definition" to a person of color? How many nanoseconds until Jesse Jackson would be calling for someones head?
Maybe Artison needs to look up "condescending" in her dictionary?
***
At the task force meeting, which Stone attended, Artison stressed that the 84,000 number was an estimate, and then read an extensive dictionary definition of the word "estimate."
http://www.jsonline.com/news/metro/jan05/295308.asp
Are all corrupt political machines run by Democrats?
I find this sad.
"Or has Mayor Daley been resurrected in Milwaukee?"
http://www.captainsquartersblog.com/mt/archives/003569.php
There is no proof of anyone voting twice because its impossible to prove: because of the lax voting requirements.
Second, requiring photo ID doesn't mean you have to have a drivers license with your current address. You just have to prove that you are the person you say you are (by photo), then have something else with that NAME and correct address. Dumbass.
Not a story?! The election commission doesn't know how many people voted or registered in the election, 2 months after its over!
In other words, the Gospel according to Mark Baumgartner:
"George Bush didn't get every single vote cast. Therefore, there must have been voter fraud committed by the spawn-of-the-devil Democrats. Let's all go out and take away their civil rights."
I think liberals should step to the plate here. This is the kind of thing they should want to protect, the health of a functioning democracy. Are we going to err in favor of more voter turn-out, even if a same-day registration scheme lends itself at the very least to a tremendous amount of invalid registrations. Remeber, invalidly registered voters have their votes counted. I can arrive at a polling place, give an address and my name, register, vote, and have my vote counted. But what happens if my information was all wrong, and what if I lied? Nothing. My vote still counts. What is the big deal about pre-registration? What is the big deal about getting a voter ID card? These are simple solutions to a problem that has gone way out of control.
Congratulations, Mark, for becoming a target for some of these lackluster liberal attack dogs. Election reform is a huge issue, but Jim Doyle will never address it. I am casting my lot with Scott Walker all ready.
Why is it that the only reformers of government are Republicans? Why is it that Democrats have found themselves fighting tooth and nail to defend the status quo?
"George Bush didn't get every single vote cast. Therefore, there must have been voter fraud committed by the spawn-of-the-devil Democrats. Let's all go out and take away their civil rights."
Sounds like a great idea to me!
Having read the comment of one of the self-professed liberals, I'd like to thank God that I am not a liberal. How could I live with myself if I were so full of bile and hatred?
"Republicans living in the motherfucking soul sucking suburbs, that's who."
I love it when it when idiot liberals show how intelligent they are with statements like this! And here you are probably going to the UW (one of the most expensive schools in the nation) and probably collecting a check from mommy and daddy in the "soul sucking suburb" that you are from. Write back to this message board in ten years, after you wake up from your liberal nap and let us know how you like living in the suburbs.
There were most likely shenanigans and corruption on both sides. Yet both Republicans and Democrats alike tolerate it. I realize now that we as Democrats look hypocritical when we criticize the corruption of the right yet wink at our own. Still, by the same token, so do you, Mark. No progress will be made until both sides are willing to commit to fixing their own ethical problems.
If Republicans and Democrats were each willing to clean up and cease their own wrongdoing, and write a fair, comprehensive, and nationwide set of election regulations, they could get it done in a couple of weeks. But neither side wants to- it believes it's better off under the current corrupt system.
"Ripe or rife?"
Maybe "Ripe", with this definition:
Emitting a foul odor, especially body odor.
"There were most likely shenanigans and corruption on both sides."
Shenanigans? Can felons vote in Wisconsin? I hear that they can vote, but I mean legally?
***
Milwaukee County District Attorney E. Michael McCann announced this morning that five of the seven men arrested in the election-day slashing of Republican vehicles' tires - including the sons of two prominent Milwaukee Democratic politicians - have been charged with felonies and will appear in court this afternoon.
http://www.jsonline.com/news/metro/jan05/295825.asp
Why is this a divisive party issue? The "liberal" side appears to be too defensive in this matter. In my mind this attitude indicates an acknowledgement that it is OK to vote more than once. Smaller communities with less controls are more prone to such problems, leaning on the extraordinary loop hole that allows anyone to vote, if they have a known registered voter vouch for them. in a small community, it is not "politically" correct to question your neighbors and may even be harmful to you or your family through retribution in the form of shunning or perhaps anonymous property damage. WE MUST TIGHTEN UP OUR VOTER REGISTRATION PROCESS TO ENSURE EVERYONE"S VOTE COUNTS AND COUNTS ONLY ONCE!