NYT: As Vote Nears, Parties Prepare for Legal Fights

[DeepModem Mom]

As Vote Nears, Parties Prepare for Legal Fights
By IAN URBINA
Published: November 4, 2006

WASHINGTON, Nov. 3 — A team of lawyers for the Democratic Party has been arguing with postal officials in Columbus, Ohio, trying to persuade them to process thousands of absentee ballots that have arrived with insufficient postage.

In Pennsylvania, the Republican Party has opened a “recount account” and set aside $500,000 to pay lawyers who will answer telephones on Election Day and monitor polls to see whether officials demand proper voters’ identification. In Maryland, lawyers representing candidates for senator and governor from both parties met recently and swapped cellphone numbers and e-mail addresses to smooth out the logistics of potential litigation.

Several days from what Republican and Democratic campaign strategists expect to be a close election, the legal machinery of a messy fight is shifting into high gear.

Democrats say they are most concerned that voters will be prevented from voting by long lines or poll workers’ demanding unnecessary forms of identification.

Republicans say they are guarding against ineligible people trying to vote.

The parties are sending their largest concentrations of lawyers to states with the tightest races like Maryland, Missouri, Ohio and Tennessee....On Saturday and Sunday, hundreds of the 7,000 lawyers who are working on the election for the Democratic National Committee will board planes for Arizona, Florida, Maryland, Missouri, Ohio and 13 other states....

http://www.nytimes.com/2006/11/04/us/politics/04lawyers.html?hp&ex=1162616400&en=2de7374ba8fbaa15&ei=5094&partner=homepage

[Gothmog]

1. The DNC have this organized well.

I was one of the kerry edwards voter protection team in 2004. We had thousands of lawyers who volunteered their time and paid their expenses to go to try to protect the vote in 2004. I was in Ft. Lauderdale two years ago with 800 some attorneys from across the country.

I nearly was headed tomorrow to Arizonia. There was an e-mail asking for volunteers to go watch the polls in Arizonia. By the time I responded, all of the slots were full. The Democratic coordinator who told me that they have the polls covered was really excited. They hope to knock off that asshole Kyl

[DeepModem Mom]

3. Thanks for your professional help, Gothmog!

[texpatriot2004]

2. And what, I wonder, do the people prepare for? nm

[rpannier]

4. Just out of curiosity

Why do absentee ballots cast in the US need psotage?
That should be one of those things the Gov't pays for.

If push-comes-to-shove, can't the DNC just pick up the tab for those ballots with insufficient postage?

[Earth_First]

5. You would think so...

At pennies apiece, you'd think that a Democratic majority in both houses would certainly be advantageous for the DNC to pick up the insufficient postage.

[antiblazer]

6. postage is a poll tax

postage for absentee ballots is nothing more than a poll tax. imagine people who want to vote put cant even summon the money to pay for postage or the elderly who would have trouble acquiring a stamp!