GOP Officials Trying To Disqualify Iowa Student Ballots

The Iowa GOP appears to be distancing itself from a Monday effort to challenge thousands of student ballots at Grinnell College.

Spokesman Nathan Treloar told the Huffington Post on Tuesday that while he has "seen reports coming out that its Republican lawyers" objecting to student ballots, he claimed "this could be a local thing" at the county level.

RELATED: Check Out HuffPo's Voting Problems Big News Page

Asked whether the state party has encouraged or endorsed the strategy, in which students who did not register to vote by affixing a PO box to their official university mailing address are being challenged, Treloar said "No, not that I have been made aware of." Treloar then suggested contacting the Republican chair in Poweshiek county, where Grinnell is located.

But if the Iowa Republican Party is not eager to be associated with the challenging the ballots of young voters, they have yet to communicate their displeasure to those who are responsible for the tactic.

Reached by phone, Poweshiek Republican county chair Harry Meek not only claimed responsibility for the strategy, but said he had no idea whether the state party backed his move. "Yeah, it was us," he admitted, sounding somewhat resigned. Asked if he knew how the state party viewed their legal challenge of young voters, Meek said, "I couldn't tell ya."

"We were told that Secretary of State in Iowa had made some concessions for students -- as long as they put down the [university] post office address along with a PO box, that was adequate. So the ones we challenged were those that didn't have a PO box. It's real simple, we're just going by the rules. It says so right on the challenge affidavit."

Alec Schierenbeck, Vice President of the College Democrats of America and a student at Grinnell College, sees it differently. "That is a technicality that they're using to try and disenfranchise students," he said, noting that while only 50 votes have been challenged out of 700 early ballots on campus, the result is mass confusion on campus today. "At the last minute, we've had to rearrange the way we are getting out the vote on campus. I fear some voters were disuaded by the idea they're going to go to polls today, and a lawyer is going to harrangue them and shake a book at them. It spreads a lot of disinformation."

Schierenbeck says that all students who cast challenged ballots have been contacted, and are signing statements in advance of a Thursday hearing on the issue. "Given the [last-minute] context of challenge, and the history of way we've registered, we're optimistic these votes are going to be upheld," he said.

"The is a last-minute tactic by a party that's adrift, and has little left to do but disenfranchise people," Schierenbeck added. "That's why the state party has cut them adrift. They don't want to take responsibility for it, either."

RELATED: Over 1,000 Students Lined Up To Vote At Penn State (VIDEO)

Comments

[LeeCalif]

Looking forward to the rest of the Iowans hearing about this lowdown Republican tactic.

As a Siouxlander, I wouldn't stand for it. Those punk b*stards.

[cariintexas]

I just heard a report that in some polling places some people are bringing lawn chairs and water saying they're not going anywhere until they vote. God Bless America.

[fhbandy]

trying to disenfranchise young voters? what are you afraid of GOP?

how pro-America is it to try to stomp on the right to vote?

[ljmoffice]

They don't care...all they care about is winning. They know that young people are easily intimidated. They don't care if they break the law...they are above the law...as we have all witnessed for the last 8 years.

[CTVoter08]

Figures...­If you can't win fairly, try to "steal" the election.

[grf67]

Only the republicans, the party of cowards, would try to surpress voting in this country. We do not need any of them.

[peterfromcanada]

Where is this election happening again; is it zimbabwe or "the greatest democracy in the world"?

[standup2them]

Peterfromcanada-- This is what the republicans like to play. They are very dirty. They are crooks, but we have this nation of young voters that are going to take them down!!!! Go kids, run and don't give up. Our country needs every single vote!!! We can't do it without you!!! We need a touchdown!!! Obama/Biden 08"

[RoRo69]

"The greatest democracy in the world" is getting its elections rigged by people calling themselvse "true patriots" from the "real America."

And Sarah Palin is a feminist and has a bridge to sell ya.

[SouthernBlueBelle]

You guys are so right! They are such hypocrits and anything they accuse anyone of, they have done X2.

[roooth]

When it comes to Federal elections, it needs to be made a Federal crime to deliberately attempt to disenfranchise voters, by any means, whether by disseminating false information, or by poll watchers challenging voters not because they are not qualified to vote, but because the challengers are misusing the laws to systematically disenfranchise a voter who is legally eligible to vote.

This PO box is a perfect example. The Republicans have no genuine basis to challenge any individual student, their only intent is to misuse the system for wholesale disenfranchisement. Just like using foreclosure lists. That should be a Federal crime, since the intent is not to protect the right's of citizens but to defraud for one party's gain.

Start throwing Republican poll watchers in Federal prisons - at least they'll learn what it feels like to be disenfranchised themselves then.

[ljmoffice]

We should have done that after the 2000 debacle...­..

[redvoter]

I agree 100%! Once enough of us stand up and demand that actions like these are treated as crimes, federal no less - then this type of crap will stop!

[Mike169]

The act of voting is what people have fought and died for in this country and one party has made extraordinary attempts to undermine the process. This is so un-American and unpatriotic that the operatives within the Republican Party should be severely punished and the party be branded for exactly what it is - a power hungry, anti-democratic, scum buckets that they are.

[WilliamBudd]

"power hungry, anti-democratic, scum buckets" Yes!
I'd add "fundamentally unAmerican and antiAmerica" to the list.

[salsmom]

we need comprehensive federal legislation to establish a nationwide system that is consistent across state lines and for all voting populations.

[Bluejay00234]

Amen.

[Hillrick]

Wow. For people who stand up so many times and scream about our freedom and founding fathers and patriotism, these people just take the cake! They are going to take so much rope that they are not going to be able to hide how much this is going on.

[mybelovedson]

Nothing surprises me about the Rep. they play very filthy, dirty win are all cost. My vote was 100% democrat. Screw the crooked disgusting­,despicabl­e UN AMERICAN Rep. RIP!!!

[rachelfirm]

we have a post up about this story too at www.communitychange.org/vote

check it out and be sure to read the other interesting reports from on-the-ground voters

http://communityvaluesvote.blogspot.com/2008/11/iowa-voter-suppression-student.html

[LondonTownNY]

GOP=Party of Vote Suppression Democratic Party=Party of Civil Rights

Try to remember this when you contemplate a vote for a Republican candidate who seems comparable to a Democrat or Independent. The GOP is a party that actively, aggressively and systematically works to suppress the vote and disenfranchise voters, in particular lower income and or less savvy voters. The communities they target are always minority, student communities and lower income communitie­s/district­s.

[Apov]

And these Republicans are the real Americans?
I don't think so.
I could never associate myself with these commies.

[duze]

Another slick trick by the GOP. Everyone should rally their state senators and make them vote to have a standarized voting process in this country. If they don't get this thing pass, VOTE THEM OUT.

[Diogenis]

Republicans to our YOUTH! You can die for America, but we will suppress your votes!
NOT THIS TIME!
The youth of America will stand up , be heard...an­d vote.

OBAMA/BIDEN 08