A friend in Olympia tipped me off to this hilarious and fortunately unsuccessful amendment to one of the "election reform" bills. The amendment proposed the following as one of many acceptable forms of polling place ID:
(b) A verbal or written statement by the voter of the voter's name, year of birth, and unique identifier as determined by the secretary of state. The statement of the voter's name does not need to contain the voter's middle initial or suffix.Clearly, this is a bait-and-switch, something that the Democrats would claim as "ID at the polls", even though it's nothing more than a legal loophole for enabling vote fraud. The amendment was introduced by Rep. Sam Hunt (D-Evergreen State College), but this specific provision was added at the request of Former Attorney General Gregoire herself.
It's tempting to start calling her "Fraudoire" again.
Posted by Stefan Sharkansky at May 01, 2005 11:25 AM | Email ThisI wasn't aware anyone had ever stopped. The "shoe" fits ever-so-well.
Posted by: DanC on May 1, 2005 11:42 AMSee this link for more evidence of the tough stance he takes. http://www.secstate.wa.gov/elections/voterguide/protect.aspx
Posted by: Patches Pal on May 1, 2005 12:12 PMIt was very good to meet you the other night and I look forward to many other such occaisions.
In regard to this post though... Your comment that the amendment was added the request of the Former Att. Gen needs a reliable reference. Right now, it's just a claim and nothing more than unsubstantiated heresay. I DO hope you have such reference matieral though. But journalistic integrity demands additional information on where this claim originates...
Posted by: Jamie Walker on May 1, 2005 01:05 PMBecause no one would give their banking PIN to another human being. You keep it secret. The proposal only makes sense if we use ATM machines for voting booths. (Which is not a rediculous idea, only impractical with current hardware).
Somehow, asking for someone to present photo id is deemed to be disenfranchizing. But requiring someone to remember a 7+ digit unique id is not. I guess we should not worry. If you cannot remember your id, rest easy, someone else will vote for you that knows your number.
Posted by: StephenR from Houston on May 1, 2005 01:22 PMI'm sorry sir, you can't vote because you can't remember your middle initial.
Posted by: VaCSProf on May 1, 2005 03:13 PMThe Telegraph (UK) has an interesting article about the continued weaknesses in the absentee voting system in the UK. A reporter tested the system and obtained 11 ballots from various jurisdictions by simply sending in a request for a ballot in the name of someone on the rolls -- and asking that it be sent to an address other than the registered voter's address.
Your word that you're you will be good enough. Once you've voted just drop this provisional ballot in the Accuvote and your vote will count.
Everyone back in the van, we'll stop at Starbucks before we hit the next precinct. We've got 12 precincts on our schedule today. Did everyone remember to vote absentee for all your dead relatives?
Yeesh!
Posted by: JCM on May 1, 2005 03:58 PMMy new slogan is "Washington needs a Dumper!"
Posted by: ScottM on May 1, 2005 04:14 PMYOU LOST. GET OVER IT.
Posted by: name on May 1, 2005 04:49 PMYes, it does appear that there are elections officials in the UK who have spoken up about the problems. But, of course, as the article points out, the Labour Party is "the Government," and the Government has ignored the elections officials.
The Atlantic separates us, but the Left and the Right seem to behave pretty much the same. The Telegraph's article finishes with this:
Yesterday Dr Liam Fox, the co-chairman of the Conservative party, accused the Government - which introduced on-demand postal votes four years ago - of "trading away the integrity of the system and our national reputation for fairness in pursuit of their own narrow interests".
He said that Labour had "casually accepted the corruption of Britain's electoral practices" and pledged that the Conservatives would "restore integrity to British democracy" by creating an accurate national register, ensuring that every individual could be identified and requiring proof of identity.
Posted by: Micajah on May 1, 2005 05:03 PM5499-S.E AMH HUNS AMH486
ESSB 5499 - H AMD
By Representative Hunt
ADOPTED AS AMENDED 04/14/2005
The really silly part about ID at the polling places seems to have been removed in the conference committee, as the House and Senate resolved the differences between their different versions of the bill.
If so, the Democrats in the House voted to adopt Hunt's amendment with that silly part in it. It wasn't just Hunt -- all the House Democrats wanted an ID provision that was nothing more than what we now have, i.e., say the name of the voter you claim to be.
Posted by: Micajah on May 1, 2005 05:30 PMNEW SECTION. Sec. 7 A new section is added to chapter 29A.44 RCW to read as follows:
Any person desiring to vote at any primary or election is required to provide identification to the election officer before signing the poll book. The identification required in this section can be satisfied by providing a valid photo identification, such as a driver's license or state identification card, student identification card, or tribal identification card, a voter's voter identification issued by a county elections officer, or a copy of a current utility bill, bank statement, paycheck, or government check or other government document. Any individual who desires to vote in person but cannot provide identification as required by this section shall be issued a provisional ballot.
The secretary of state may adopt rules to carry out this section.
What are the odds on the ease with which one could get a voter identification card from King County by simply claiming to be the person you claim to be? Whatever rules the SecState issues, I would bet that Logan would deny having any ability to refuse to issue a second voter identification card to a person who had just received one from Logan only 5 minutes before asking for the second one. And, naturally, Logan would never consider reporting what obviously ought to be suspected fraud -- just as it never occurs to him that reasonable suspicions of fraudulent voter registration at a mail box rather than a residence ought to be reported.
"The form was complete, so I had to issue the ID," says Logan. "You have to understand -- the guy has done this dozens of times, so he knows how to fill out a complete application for a voter ID. He's really good at it, so I have to keep giving him IDs under the different names he claims to have."
Posted by: Micajah on May 1, 2005 05:46 PMIf so, I'm going to go out and get rip-roaring drunk, get pulled over, and when asked for ID, proudly state that I'm "Chris Gregoire"
YourGovernorCostsMillion$
Posted by: YourGovernorCostsMillion$ on May 1, 2005 06:33 PMAnybody else notice that the streets of Seattle seem to have fewer and fewer cars on them?
Closing 10 elementary schools
No children on Captial Hill
Can anyone say dying city???
Posted by: Jericho on May 1, 2005 06:59 PMMan, this is just sad.
Posted by: boac on May 1, 2005 07:04 PM(what a moron)
Posted by: Danny on May 1, 2005 07:06 PMJaneway? Oh yeah,that's not star trek for real,just from the knock offs.
Live long and prosper! Nanu Nanu
Posted by: Jim L on May 1, 2005 09:48 PMFor King 5 News to give any credibility to the Democrats "11th hour" Felon voter find is very telling! It screams desperation on the part of the liberal machine!
What disturbs me the most is the media's attitude that: _"Yes - We know that the Democrats fraudulently stole the election. We know the evidence against a Gregoire win is overwhelming...But just look at how clever the Democrats are with this late court strategy!"....
The media knows and has known that the election was FUBAR....They probably know more about the fraud than what we've uncovered! Yet - they take this gaming attitude that it doesn't matter if the Dems committed fraud and other crimes to manipulate the election outcome...What matters most is who play's the best legal strategy in court! This mentality is getting so very old.....
Well - thank God we don't elect our local news media.....We can just turn the channel or turn them off.
Posted by: Deborah on May 1, 2005 10:44 PMBut still - Richards plays guitar for the Rolling Stones, yet she compares herself to the Beatles - and a horn section they never had - to Keith Richards.
Somebody help me on this one. Thanks.
Posted by: jimg on May 2, 2005 08:15 AMNever attempt to teach rationality to a pig - it'll drive you crazy (and it irritates the pig ;'}
Posted by: alphabet soup on May 2, 2005 08:33 AMYGCM$
Posted by: YourGovernorCostsMillion$ on May 2, 2005 10:31 AMCut me to the quick. Caught me in my spelling. Reduced me to a quivering mass of defeat.
Guess you showed me, eh?
Guess you showed your self as well....
(must have been the irritation ;'}
Posted by: alphabet soup on May 2, 2005 01:39 PMAnd after reading your 'explanation' I'm still confused as to just what in THEE hell your post is supposed to mean with regards to anything put in the orginal post, or in the comments.
But please stop right there. Honest. My mistake for even wondering what was rattling around in your head this time. Trust me. I've learned my lesson.
"The joke here (ha, ha) is that Headless Lucy is so good and so unique that she has a HORN section that sounds like KEITH RICHARDS! Sheesh! And you're calling me stupid?"
Or really, really confused. Your choice.
Posted by: jimg on May 2, 2005 01:52 PMHeh...I misspell on purpose! It drives the little trolls nuts! They wish to be the grammar police in their pseudo-elitist world....
If you really want to send them spinning...try posting a double negative! ....snicker....
Hey Headlice! You don't want no truth in this election don't you??
Hey! I did a triple negative!! I believe it's worth a perfect 10 in the Olympics!!.....Though I think France will rob me of a point...Oh well....It's just wrong to be French...
lol
/shakes head
Posted by: jimg on May 2, 2005 09:34 PM