Nearly 600,000 Subject To Possible Voter Caging In Ohio

How many voter-registration mass mailers are "returned to sender" in the run-up to Election Day may determine how many Ohio residents are eligible to vote.

Ohio election officials are sending out a mass mailer stamped "do not forward" to all registered voters today (Sept. 5) with an absentee ballot application and other important notices for Nov. 4.

What's important here is not so much what's going out as what's being returned to sender.

Read the whole story here.

Comments

[ScapeGoat]

BE AFRAID...BE VERY AFRAID!!! THE ELECTION MAY BE STOLEN AGAIN!!

I was listening to a podcast of the Thom Harmann show from September 11. 2008. Lee Rayburn from Mike 92.1 from Madison Wisconsin was guest hosting. Mr. Rayburn talked about some anomalies he knew of in absentee ballots in Wisconsin. It seems that John McCain is sending absentee ballots to Obama supporters and listeners of progressive radio. Here is how the scam works. McCain sends out absentee ballots to Obama supporters. First the envelopes have "do not forward" on them (the usually caging strategy). Second, the return envelope does not go back to the town you are registered in, it goes to a town hundreds of miles away from where you live. That's right, your ballot goes to the wrong city and the wrong clerk so the ballot is then declared void. The owner of the radio station even got one!!! Mr Rayburn asked people to call if they had received any such letters. It turns out that people in California, Michigan, North Carolina received similar letters! There is even a scam for the snow birds that vote in Florida. They send the letter in the summer when most snowbirds are up north. When the letter comes back because it can't be forwarded, the republicans can now challenge the voter. Nice. I got the audio from the iTunes podcast of the Thom Hartmann show September 11, 2008. Listen to the last 30 minutes.

[Bademus]

Possible vote caging by the GOP in Ohio http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/09/07/nearly-600000-subject-to_n_124668.html

Possible voter caging by GOP in Michigan http://www.michiganmessenger.com/4076/lose-your-house-lose-your-vote

Possible voter caging by McCain campain in FL http://www.tampabay.com/news/politics/state/article814237.ece

McCain camp has sent out confusing mailers in an additional 10 states, all close or swing states

[jelow]

Send the Ohio Secretary of State a note and let her know that we are all watching Ohio this time election...

http://www.sos.state.oh.us/SOS/vri/ContactUs_VRI.aspx

[Martee]

Just did.

[cariintexas]

I commented on the Ohio GOP Caging yesterday. Last night at a Obama house party people were saying they're not surprised. This is the only way the republicans can win. Lies, manipulation and destroying the peoples choice.

[TXfemmom]

The Dems need to file an immediate Civil Rights lawsuit and one for voter intimidation on these people. Then, NAME THEM PERSONALLY, AS WELL. They were not acting in their official capacities the moment they conspired to do this, and to send out false information. Bankrupt them and get them thrown in the slammer and then this stuff can begin to be stifled.

[Soothsayer08]

Thanks for reminding us of what happened in Ohio during the last pres election. The corrupt Black Republican Ken Blackwell helped to manipulate that election. This is just more of the same. As one poster aptly said, this will happen in poor and minority areas. Part of Barack's team's goal should be to educate people in the voting laws as a part of registering them. Making sure there is no reason for these voters to be challenged.

[GOVSUX]

You Libs crack me up. I lived in Florida during the 2000 election. Remember the butterly ballot that seemingly the Dems could not figure out how to use? They were designed by Dems. ROFL. Why did things degenerate so, that it had to be taken to the Supreme court? Because you Dems were trying to cheat. Recount after recount, then trying to use the Florida Supreme court. Remember that?

[morefromLA]

Sin ce you lived in Florida during that period you are obviously aware of the 1000's of black voters that were unjustifiably removed from the voting rolls and not allowed to vote? Wonder where those votes would have gone. Does cheating on this massive a scale not bother you?

[GOVSUX]

Remember people Repubs vote on NOV 4th and Dems on NOV 5th.

[UnbiasView]

I can't stand how the Dems get free $100 bill on November 5th and we get nothing for showing up November 4th.

[research]

Republicans can get 1000$ if they vote on Nov 7th.

[drosenfeld33]

There has been an update posted to this story at Miller-McCune.com/article/662. Shortly after it's publication on Friday, Ohio SoS Jennifer Brunner issued a directive saying these notices can not be used as the sole basis for caging. However, the situation still exists as a real possibility in other states. And still nothing closes the door in general to partisan caging in Ohio.

[watusi]

Thats why we need more Dems in state houses.

[UnbiasView]

"When the people find they can vote themselves money, that will herald the end of the republic."

- Benjamin Franklin

[UnbiasView]

Funny . . . HuffPost is already setting up the story for when Obama loses in November. If he loses it won't be because not many trust him, it will be stolen right?

[watusi]

And what will your excuse be for losing.

[research]

The last two were stolen, It's necessary to expect GOP stealing again and prepare to

stop it cold.

[donkat]

Send this to anyone you know in Ohio - I just did. The only hope we have of preventing the repugs from disenfranchising voters is by making voters aware of what they're trying to do.

[mafeoc]

When are we going start counting beans in the gallon jar?

[frappe]

It's the only way the Republicans know how to win -- CHEAT.

If the Democrats in Ohio have any survival instincts whatsoever, they will fight this purging effort tooth and nail. America will not idly sit by if this election is seen as being stolen as was the case in BOTH 2000 and 2004.

[UnbiasView]

You people crack me up . . . when you won in 2006 did they just forget to cheat?

[GOVSUX]

You nailed it!

[frappe]

No, Rove miscalculated the percentages. He assumed a Democratic lead of 4% when, in reality, it ended being somewhere in the range of 8 - 11%, given the extensive corruption within your rancid party.

[Soothsayer08]

Don't leave out lying

[ohiomark]

It is the responsibility of each voter to keep his registration current. You have the option of voting absentee or with a provisional ballot as well.

The article did mention ACORN and it's practice of filling false voter registrations. This is the same group that Obama was affilliated with during his "street agitator".......eerrrrrr...... "community organizer" days in Chicago. Very interesting.

[drd1044]

What is the Obama campaign and the Democrats doing to insure there are sufficient voting machines in enough polling places, especially in areas where registration has gone up dramatically? Is there a link(s) or site where I can detailed information on this? Thanks in advance.