Colorado's Katherine Harris Threatens the '08 Election
My home state of Colorado, as anyone following the election campaign knows, is a major presidential battleground state. Both John McCain and Barack Obama have visited the state multiple times, including in recent/coming days. Though a new poll shows Obama taking a commanding 12-point lead, everyone expects both the presidential and U.S. Senate race here to be very close. That's why the Secretary of State Mike Coffman's (R) moves should worry everyone in Colorado and elsewhere. We've got our own Katherine Harris here -- and a careful look at the news suggests he's moving to game this election in a state that could be the Florida of 2008.
I say "careful look" because Coffman's behavior -- while outrageous and potentially election-throwing -- has received coverage mostly in the back pages of local newspapers (and similarly little attention from the national media). But if you bother to dig down, you will see what I'm talking about -- and it's scary.
Here's page 21 of Saturday's Rocky Mountain News:
The story on the left describes Coffman's efforts to invalidate roughly 5,000 registrations (depending on which source you ask). Here's the crux of what's going on:
"5,000 Coloradans whose voter status is in limbo because of [a] controversial check box...The registration form asks for a driver's license or state ID number. If applicants don't have that, they're supposed to check a box and then put down at least the last four digits of their Social Security numbers. But thousands of people didn't check the box. According to a policy adopted last year by Secretary of State Mike Coffman, these applications are supposed to be listed as incomplete...National and local voting-rights organizations criticize Coffman's policy, saying it violates other federal laws. They say Coffman is unfairly putting up barriers for people who are eligible to vote and want him to change his policy."
The check box is "controversial" because you are asked to check it on the form if you don't "have" a driver's license or ID card. Here's what it looks like on the form (which you can download and see yourself here):
So, here's the thing -- what's the definition of "have?" I may have one at my house or in my car, but not with me at the very moment I am filling out the registration form. In that case, it would be logical - and, in fact, honest -- for me to not check that box, while also putting down the last four digits of my social security number as my selected method of verifying my registration. Alternately, for whatever reason (privacy, etc.), I may simply feel more comfortable listing the last 4 digits of my social security number, rather than my entire driver's license number. So therefore, I might have listed my social security number and not checked the box.
And yet, if you made any of those logical choices -- if you gave all the social security information required by law, but simply didn't check the box - Coffman is attempting to use that choice to potentially invalidate your registration and prevent you from voting.
In case you think Coffman's move isn't extreme or motivated by partisanship, consider the fact that two big Republican counties are doing exactly the opposite of Coffman. As the Rocky Mountain News notes, "Election officials in Jefferson and Larimer counties also disagree with Coffman, saying they are weighing in on the side of the voter and won't disqualify people because of what they call a technicality." The Denver Post reports that Coffman reacted by sending a letter to other counties telling them they cannot follow suit, meaning two Republican counties are registering these voters, but others are not.
Thus, it isn't surprising that the Rocky Mountain News notes that "the largest number [of registrations affected by Coffman's edict] are Democrats, followed closely by unaffiliated voters," and "hundreds live in predominately minority neighborhoods in Denver and Aurora" (ie. traditionally Democratic constituencies).
Remember, Coffman is an up-and-coming Republican "star" -- he's simultaneously Secretary of State and running to replace Colorado U.S. Rep. Tom Tancredo (R). So he's not some nonpartisan election observer -- as I said before, he's positioning himself to be Katherine Harris, who also went on to use her notoriety as an election thief to win a seat in Congress.
And Mike Coffman in particular understands that 5,000 Democratic votes is no small number in a place like Colorado. A 12,000 vote switch from Republican to Democrat in 2006 would have cost him his election to the Secretary of State's office.
To be sure, there are going to be a lot of election-day shenanigans all over the country, much of it in the shadows. But what we're seeing here in Colorado is a very public attempt to use Republican-controlled offices to potentially disenfranchise thousands and rig the election. Indeed, the Denver Post now reports that Coffman has asked his fellow Republican crony, state Attorney General John Suthers (R), to validate his moves with an official legal opinion so as to trip up potential pre- and post-election legal challenges to the disenfranchisement. This isn't a conspiracy theory - it's happening all right out in the open for everyone to see.
It all adds up to the kind of coordinated Republican scheme we've seen in the last two elections. And once again, that scheme could throw a national election.
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I referenced this article in a blog post discussing the threat of a Katherine Harris effect posed on this election.
http://chicagoinsider.us/
Sounds like another Greg Palast book waiting to happen. It's nice that we aren't having to wait until an American reporter in England points it out -- you know -- with our "gotcha" media and all. This is why I volunteered to be an Alternate Judge at my polling location this year. I just figured if I can't monitor the voter registrations, I could at least be sure that the voters were given all the information they needed on HOW to cast their votes. I'm really hoping I don't run into a lot of voters who THOUGHT they were registered, but weren't. That will make me really sad. And mad.
This Coffman guy is running for U.S. Congress against a man named Hank Eng, who is a bit short of funds since the DNC evidently figured he didn't have much of a chance.
I realize that doesn't answer the issue of the moment, but people like this Coffman need to be retired by any and all legitimate means.
We're in NC, but more importantly in the U.S.A. so please check Eng out!
I am a Colorado resident and they have lost my absentee ballot. I have called TWICE and am promised it will be in the mail last week to my home. It is alarming that Coffman is able to get away with this. He is a diehard Repug and He is also a candidate for office, coincidentally!! Where IS Hickenlooper and Ridder on this???? Supposedly, a judge is hearing the case today. Go to 1-800-GO CNNN-08.
You can't win legitimately so you try an end run. There are just so , many sleazy republicans giving the rest a bad name. It seems we dig a little deeper and find a whole new low in republican politics.
WE ARE A THIRD WORLD COUNTRY HOLDING AN ELECTION!
WHERE IS JIMMY CARTER IN MONITORING THIS ELECTION LIKE THEY DO IN AFRICA OR SOME OTHER COUNTRY WE THINK NEEDS DEMOCRACY......
These are the kind of reports that always scare me and that I almost cannot believe, but that come up too often not to...
The idea that in a country like the US, proudly proclaiming itself the "greatest democracy on earth", elected officials and/or election officials would not do anything in their power to assure that everybody who has the right to vote also gets a chance to vote is a mystery to me. How can you even think of these kind of measures, let alone implement them? How can you look at yourself in the mirror afterwards and not be ashamed?
Voltaire said: “I may disagree with what you say, but I’ll defend to the death your right to say it". That's what democracy is about, that's how you should go about in a political race as well. Do everything you can to convince people that your policies are the best, try and win the election with all tghe arguments you can come up with, but give everybody a say in it. These people however live by that other well known saying (usually, but probably incorrectly attributed to that great advocate of democracy, Joseph Stalin....): "It's not who votes that counts, it's who counts the votes"
The US voters got tricked in 2000, they got defrauded in 2004 and if they are not careful they are falling for it in 2008 again.
What is Colorado's Democratic governor, and Democratically led state legislature doing about this? Does anyone know? They do have the power to stop it.
Send this information to Election Protection. They are working hard to prevent the election from being stolen and need to know the details about what's going on in Colorado so they can take action.
http://www.866ourvote.org/
They also need your donations to make sure all our votes count.
Anyone having trouble casting a ballot should call the Election Protection hotline immediately and a trained worker will help you:
1-866-OUR-VOTE
And if I was a resident of this state, I would be campaigning against him as a representative. Washington already has enough of these kinds of guys, please Colorado, don't send another one to Washington. That is what this election is about. Change. Sending the same kind of people to do the same kind of things is stupid. We need to make our representatives more accountable to us. If we don't send them to Washington to represent us in the first place, we don't have to worry about getting rid of them. And who is this guy running against. It looks like to me that we would contact his opponent.
They will try to steal this election. http://www.rollingstone.com/politics/story/23638322/block_the_vote
Like Dubya said "Fool me once shame on you. Fool me again .....er...umm....We won't get fooled again"
Contribute (no matter how small). Volunteer. Write your editor. Call your TV and radio stations. Talk to your friends and neighbors. Get out the vote.
Email this to MSNBC...they would love this story. Also CNN has a phone hotline to call about election funny business.
Do you have the contact information.
Also, which ever candidate you are voting for, make sure that you check each screen, do not leave your booth until you are satisfied ... call a pollster.
I went to vote on Friday and had no problem.
Tell your friends to go as soon as possible. If you are in a state that has a lot of options, then ask for the sample ballot so that you can read it in line. Make sure that your vote reads YOUR correct candidate ... smile!
Also, which ever candidate you are voting for, make sure that you check each screen, do not leave your booth until you are satisfied ... call a pollster.
I went to vote on Friday and had no problem.
Tell your friends to go as soon as possible. If you are in a state that has a lot of options, then ask for the sample ballot so that you can read it in line. Make sure that your vote reads your correct candidate ... smile!
GREAT post.
All of your facts are right on (as well as you summations)
Repubs can"t win the popular vote, so they have steal it. Yes Coffman is every bit a partisan. He gets good press in Colorado for being diligent.
The owner of the (both) dailies in Denver is another Murdock (right wing, anti union, ). He will make sure this travesty is played down.
Excellent post David. Also, the CO US Attorney is a Rove/Bush appointee who is and will most definitely participate in the voter fraud antics that will arise in this state come Nov 4. The MSM will never investigate or publicise voter fraud because the Corp Media owners endorse the GOP and condone their corrupt tactics. It is well known that in 2000 the CEO of GE mandated that his TV journalists call the election in favor of Bush before any election recount or for that matter before the SC decision.
More than 1,700 of these voters (over 30% of them) are Democrats and unaffiliateds in Denver. Denver is traditionally a Democratic stronghold. Coffman would dearly love to disenfranchise as many of those voters as possible.
And thank you, David. I didn't catch the part about it being two strongly REPUBLICAN counties that are ignoring the checkbox and allowing voters to cast regular ballots.
By the way, Coffman has also been accused of illegally "scrubbing" the voter rolls too soon before the election. Coloradans will need to monitor this election very closely -- because the attempts to manipulate it are very clear.
I believe a "check box" should be provided on people's tax forms for voter registration. All the pertinent information is provided right there on all our annual tax forms. IF your filing taxes, YOU"RE a citizen. NO QUESTIONING THAT.
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