GOTV-Part II

[Cobalt-60]

In the face of voter suppression, traditional Get out the Vote programs are no longer sufficient.
Once registered a vote has to be maintained.
The first step to maintaining the integrity of a voters' registration is vigilance. Once out voters registrations are established, their validity needs regular checks.
I suggest that outside of election season month checks would be sufficient.
As an election nears weekly or even daily checks are in order.
And every registration needs to be aggressively defended. If it suddenly gets canceled an immediate challenge to the cancellation needs to be filed.
Instant, public counter attacks against every attempt should eventually reduce the effectiveness of vote suppression.
One suppressed vote is one suppressed vote too many.

[philb]

1. In just one Ohio County, 150,000 mostly Dem voters were purged before 2004 election

Cuyahoga County(Cleveland) most highly Dem area in Ohio
enough stuff in just Cuyahoga in 2004 to swing the election; but lots more other counties as well
100,000 missing absentees(mostly Dems) in Broward Co. Florida

similar for florida which had at least as much bad stuff as Ohio

lots of illegal dirty tricks, purges, last minute changes in polling places w/o notification, registrations not put on the voting books, etc. in Florida and Ohio;
www.flcv.com/EIRSfla2.html
www.flcv.com/ohiosum.html

and also in other states
www.flcv.com/summary.html

[philb]

2. What happened to Dems get out the vote in Florida?

turnout average 46%

2 of most Dem counties
Miami-Dade 37%
Broward 43.4%

one of most Repub
Brevard 59.6%

How do you expect to win statewide elections if none of your voters vote?
Where was the GOTV?

Did Dems and independents not have any issues they were concerned about this year??


In 2004, there were machine problems and too few machines and long lines in minority areas of these counties, resulting in low official turnout
I don't know what happened in 2006; this is very strange.
Anyone know what happened?

[philb]

4. Polling place problems, machine problems, long lines, etc. explain some of low turnout in Dade minor

ity precincts voters reports to EIRS hotline for Miami-Dade http://eirs.cs.net:8080/EIRS_WEB/Reporting/displayUSReport.do (similar available for other states)


2416 Other Problem Miami-Dade Florida North Shore Park Youth Center No In the 14th Precinct at Miami-Dade County, located at the North Shore Park Youth Center, 501 72nd street, there were no signs in front of the polling place, which is located at a back enterance. It is very unclear where to go without the signs. Voters were confused about where to vote.

4675 Polling Place Problem Miami-Dade Florida Kerry P Meek Cultural Art Center No According to poll worker Flora Liado, no voting on machines until after 8:00AM b/c person with keys to door was in car accident, but people in line either waited to vote or seven people were given "provisionals ballots." According to initial caller, Ms. Wai, she voted a regular paper ballot around 7:30, but could not get assistance doing so since everyone was working on booting up the machines. According to Charlie Colson (voter entered above), there was a line from the door to the street when the doors were locked after 7:00 so he left with many others and came back to vote around 9:30.

4055 Polling Place Problem Miami-Dade Florida AVENTURA GOVERNMENT CENTER No Voter moved from Broward County to Dade and attempted to update her voter's registration several weeks before the election. She did not receive her new registration card and despite several attempts, she was unable to vote early as they could not find her registration each time she would try to vote. On election day, she was sent to 3 different polling places. At the third one, she was told she could complete a provisional ballot that would not count if she was not voting in the right precinct. She was offended by the suggestion as she was adamant about her vote counting.

3355 Polling Place Problem Miami-Dade Florida Nautilus Middle School No The voter came from NY to Miami just to vote and when he appeared before the poll worker he was told that in their records he was listed as DECEASED and his grandmother's address was placed next to his name

2293 Polling Place Problem Miami-Dade Florida No Voter was advised he could not vote without identification and was not offered provisional ballot.

2275 Polling Place Problem Miami-Dade Florida EMERALD PALMS APARTMENT HOMES Yes CALLER WAS WITNESS, PERSON TURNED AWAY FOR NOT PROVIDING A PHOTO ID

1665 Polling Place Problem Miami-Dade Florida Jesus People Ministries Church No Precinct 227 was closed and voters were sent to Precinct 222 where they were being turned away

1491 Voter Intimidation Problem Miami-Dade Florida Westview Elementary No Poll worker was confrontational, allowing people to skip in the line. Polling place too small. Other workers being confrontational and slow. Bad attitude. Flow too heavy and things getting backed up. Voter was able to vote.

3723 Disability Access Problem Miami-Dade Florida Miami Edison Middle School No Call from polling place at Miami Edison Middle School. People in wheel chairs being turned away because they cannot open accessible door. In addition, wait is 1 and a half hours to vote.

3703 Disability Access Problem Miami-Dade Florida Miami Edisson Middle School No No access for disable persons

2987 Absentee Problem Disability Access Problem Miami-Dade Florida No Voter is elderly and has sick husband. She needs transportation to drop off her absentee ballot which she just received today.

2897 Polling Place Problem Miami-Dade Florida Yes Voters were unable to vote until well past 8am because poll workers did not have a key to the place where the machines were being kept.

3084 Polling Place Problem Miami-Dade Florida No South Point in Miami Beach, they are redirecting people to a different polling place where there are not parking spaces and police officers are writing tickets.

2904 Polling Place Problem Miami-Dade Florida Washington Park Community Center No The voter claims he is registered and that he voted at his precinct in the 2004 elections. However, his name did not appear in the county-wide voter rolls when the poll worker checked. He was offered a provisions ballot, but no further instructions. The voter used the provisional ballot.

1515 Polling Place Problem Miami-Dade Florida Iglesia Bautista Redencion No Voter was registered to vote at precinct 426 and their registration card had the address for precinct 425. Once the voter arrived at the precinct 425 the voter was not allowed to vote and were sent to precinct 426.

1602 Polling Place Problem Miami-Dade Florida Catholic church No Limited access. Entrance is blocked off. Only way in is exit. No signs leading way to polls.


lots more reports of this in 2004, also bigger hotline effort
www.flcv.com/EIRSfla2.html

[philb]

5. Lots of polling place problems reduced minority votes in Broward, as in 2004- EIRS reports

Election Incident Report System hotline reports by voters- Broward County
http://eirs.cs.net:8080/EIRS_WEB/Reporting/displayUSReport.do

576 Other Problem Broward Florida george English Park Community Center Yes The polling obstructed by sewage treatment working trucks. Trucks in middle of street with lanes blocked off. Cannot turn into site from both directions. Will be nightmare with traffic. Trucks on Bayview for weeks. Entrance to parking lot is blocked. Difficult access.

5335 Polling Place Problem Broward Florida Manor Church of Nazarene No Polling place is misidentified on signs. Voter has voted here for 15 years.

5319 Registration Problem Polling Place Problem Broward Florida Lauderdale Manor Community Center No Voter arrived and said this is the third precicnt he has come to his pct was changed, he said

3598 Voter Intimidation Problem Polling Place Problem Broward Florida BSO Substation No Was told to go home by a gate keeper. The machines were not working. When asked when to returm was told how the hell do they know.

3104 Polling Place Problem Broward Florida Fire/Police Substation Yes Poll Deputy was very rude and impatient with voters, particularly elderly voters that require more time and instruction. The caller personally saw voters leaving the polling booth because of his behavior.

1617 Polling Place Problem Polling Place Inquiry Problem Broward Florida Yes Voter went to her designated precinct (pursuant to her voter's registration card) located at Fire Station #84 where she found a sign that stated that her precint had been moved to 2300 Civic Center. After she and other voters stood in line at the Civic Center, they were told that there precinct was not there but at a third location. The voter did not find out what location that was and left to go to work.

2416 Other Problem Miami-Dade Florida North Shore Park Youth Center No In the 14th Precinct at Miami-Dade County, located at the North Shore Park Youth Center, 501 72nd street, there were no signs in front of the polling place, which is located at a back enterance. It is very unclear where to go without the signs. Voters were confused about where to vote.

4675 Polling Place Problem Miami-Dade Florida Kerry P Meek Cultural Art Center No According to poll worker Flora Liado, no voting on machines until after 8:00AM b/c person with keys to door was in car accident, but people in line either waited to vote or seven people were given "provisionals ballots." According to initial caller, Ms. Wai, she voted a regular paper ballot around 7:30, but could not get assistance doing so since everyone was working on booting up the machines. According to Charlie Colson (voter entered above), there was a line from the door to the street when the doors were locked after 7:00 so he left with many others and came back to vote around 9:30.

4055 Polling Place Problem Miami-Dade Florida AVENTURA GOVERNMENT CENTER No Voter moved from Broward County to Dade and attempted to update her voter's registration several weeks before the election. She did not receive her new registration card and despite several attempts, she was unable to vote early as they could not find her registration each time she would try to vote. On election day, she was sent to 3 different polling places. At the third one, she was told she could complete a provisional ballot that would not count if she was not voting in the right precinct. She was offended by the suggestion as she was adamant about her vote counting.

3355 Polling Place Problem Miami-Dade Florida Nautilus Middle School No The voter came from NY to Miami just to vote and when he appeared before the poll worker he was told that in their records he was listed as DECEASED and his grandmother's address was placed next to his name

2293 Polling Place Problem Miami-Dade Florida No Voter was advised he could not vote without identification and was not offered provisional ballot.

2275 Polling Place Problem Miami-Dade Florida EMERALD PALMS APARTMENT HOMES Yes CALLER WAS WITNESS, PERSON TURNED AWAY FOR NOT PROVIDING A PHOTO ID

1665 Polling Place Problem Miami-Dade Florida Jesus People Ministries Church No Precinct 227 was closed and voters were sent to Precinct 222 where they were being turned away

1491 Voter Intimidation Problem Miami-Dade Florida Westview Elementary No Poll worker was confrontational, allowing people to skip in the line. Polling place too small. Other workers being confrontational and slow. Bad attitude. Flow too heavy and things getting backed up. Voter was able to vote.


Lots more reports of things like this in 2004, but bigger EP effort also
www.flcv.com/EIRSfla2.html

[philb]

6. Lots of polling place problems in another big Fla. county with lots of minorities- Duval

1472 Other Problem Duval Florida Yes Went to go vote, but was told that she already voted absentee ballot, but she never did. She also saw a lot of other people with the same mark next to their names on the registration list.

4380 Polling Place Problem Duval Florida St. Paul's AME Church No Voters turned away at 6:55 pm and poll closed early

3285 Polling Place Problem Duval Florida Woodlawn Presbyterian Yes 6 voters did not want to vote since scanner broken. Got disgusted and would not give names. Also stated they would not return to vote.

3237 Polling Place Problem Duval Florida Ramallah-American Club Yes Optical Scan machine was jamming, so lines were backing up. Allowed voter to vote by touch screen. Poll worker called a number to walk through repair. They are sending someone over. Machine actually chewed up someone's ballot.

5382 Voter Intimidation Problem Polling Place Inquiry Problem Duval Florida No Changed precinct without notice on day of election.

5328 Polling Place Problem Duval Florida No Opitcal Scan was jamming so lines were backing up. Allowed voter to use a punch card. Machine chewed up ballots.

5292 Polling Place Problem Duval Florida St. Paul AME No St. Paul AME - not letting people in to vote at 6:57pm. Election protection called.

4258 Registration Problem Duval Florida Yes Though Ms. Castro has received a voter ID card, the polling place said she was not eligible to vote because she appeared on the rolls elsewhere. This also happend 2 years ago and she registered again to make sure it didn't happen again

2016 Registration Problem Duval Florida St. Thomas Missionary Baptist Church Yes Voter called because she registered three times and she is still not listed on the voter registration list. She first registered shortly after turning 18, at the Jacksonville Housing Authority while registering for Sec. 8 housing. She never received anything in the mail so she registered again at a grocery store 8 months ago. Finally, about one month ago, shortly before the registration deadline, she registered online. This morning she was turned away because she was not on the rolls. Her mother called the BOE and they are waiting for a call back. She lives with her mother and they have not moved any time in recent years. Also, her mother's polling place was changed without any written notice.

1837 Registration Problem Duval Florida No Voter moved to FL in September and registered at DMV. Voter was not on rolls at polling place; poll worker stated that many people who had registered at DMV were not on rolls. Voter was given a provisional ballot and voted.

1438 Registration Problem Registration Inquiry Problem Duval Florida St. Paul Missionary Baptist Church No Women went to vote; she wasn't registered - moved to Florida after living in Georgia for 8 years. She did not realize she had to be registered in the state in which she lived.


856 Absentee Problem Duval Florida No Voter is in the military and stationed in Tennessee. Requested an absentee ballot from Duval County, Florida (from where he received an absentee ballot in 2000) but has not yet received.

Lots more than this reported in 2004, but bigger EP effort

www.flcv.com/duvalo.html

[Wilms]

3. You're right. Thanks. n/t