Reply #34: everybody needs to be on guard... [View All]

[stillcool]

GOP already challenging voters in NY state Senate battleground
By JIM FITZGERALD
Associated Press Writer
October 30, 2006, 7:18 PM EST
WHITE PLAINS, N.Y. -- Apparently anticipating another close election next week, Republicans have already begun challenging the right of some registered voters to cast ballots in the 35th state Senate district, where Nicholas Spano won re-election by just 18 votes two years ago.

This year's race is a rematch, with the Democrats again nominating Andrea Stewart-Cousins, the Westchester County legislator who put a scare into Spano and the state Republican hierarchy and set off a recount that lasted three months in the Yonkers-dominated district. As in 2004, the district is considered a key to Democrats' hopes of closing the GOP's margin in the Senate, now 35-27.
During the recount, GOP lawyers successfully challenged hundreds of paper ballots cast by likely Stewart-Cousins voters. This year, they have filed 5,929 challenges based on change-of-address cards received by the U.S. Postal Service

Spano spokesman Anthony Giambruno said the challenge "isn't ours, it's the lawyers"' and referred calls to Ciampoli.
Two deputy commissioners at the Westchester County Board of Elections, Republican Melissa Nacerino and Democrat Jeannie Palazola, said in a joint phone interview that the board had no choice but to immediately act on each of the affidavits, which all are signed by the same person.
If a challenged address matches the voter rolls, the board sends first-class and certified letters to each person. If the letters come back undelivered, police are asked to visit the address and see if the registered voter lives there.
The elections workers said the process could not be completed before Election Day, which is Nov. 7, but files would be kept on challenged voters and their votes could be challenged after the election.
http://www.newsday.com/news/local/wire/newyork/ny-bc-ny--recountrematch1030oct30,0,7669069.story?coll=ny-region-apnewyork

Do different states have different criteria for challenging voters?

Ohio election officials said that by state law, the parties' challengers would have to show "reasonable" justification for doubting the qualifications of a voter before asking a poll worker to question that person. And, the officials said, challenges could be made on four main grounds: whether the voter is a citizen, is at least 18, is a resident of the county and has lived in Ohio for the previous 30 days.

The purpose of a challenge is to question the eligibility of a voter to vote at that precinct.
An election judge and an authorized challenger or other voter?may challenge an individual whom the person knows or has reason to believe is not eligible to vote at that precinct. Minnesota statutes 204C.07 and 204C.12 address challenges to voters.
Challenger Appointment
Partisan appointments - Major political parties can appoint voters from that party to act as challengers.
Non-Partisan appointments - Non partisan candidates can appoint voters to act as challengers at the polling place for each precinct.
Only one challenger for each candidate or from each party is allowed in the polling place at any given time.