Early Voter Suppression in Ohio?
By Jesse Singal - Oct 2nd, 2008 at 5:00 pm
The Ohio blog Plunderbund is running photos (click to enlarge) of what appear to be voter intimidation efforts at an early voting location in Ohio. Apparently the folks pictured were walking around, photographing both the voters themselves and their license plates. It’s important to note that although the blog accuses the Republican Party of being behind this, in the absence of any evidence of (and Plunderbund provides none) we should hold off on such judgments.
Remember that modern-day voter suppression is often subtle. It’s rare these days that folks are physically restrained from going to the polls (although access is another matter). Voter suppression efforts are more likely to include what we’re seeing in these pictures: attempts to create fear and uncertainty among voters. Even if someone’s not doing anything wrong, if you wander around snapping pictures of them and their license plates, it’s surprisingly easy to convince them that exercising their constitutional right simply isn’t worth the “risk” they perceive. This is especially true when it comes to voter suppression attempts that target the elderly and certain minority groups.
Not saying the tactic is right, but it is understandable in light of the fact the OH Secretary of State has refused to allow partisan observers/challengers at multiple early voting locations.
Such individuals play a valuable role in preventing potential voter fraud, an issue of rather large importance in OH as numerous commentators have noted. Reports are already coming in of homeless individuals purportedly being bused in from Chicago and elsewhere.
As was noted with the claim it was Republican operatives taking the pictures, this claim should be considered with a grain of salt, but it should still be taken into account and the highest level of scrutiny should be paid to the early voting to ensure no voter fraud does occur.
October 2nd, 2008 at 5:34 pm[...] pushback » Blog Archive » Early Voter Suppression in Ohio? [...]
October 3rd, 2008 at 2:30 pmPartisan observers aren’t allowed because the legislature didn’t allow the secretary of state the power to set up fair, uniform standards in all 88 counties. Would it be fair if only republican observers were set up in the poor neighborhoods of Cleveland, and were threatening voters? Or if only a democratic observer showed up in SE Ohio and was quietly distributing campaign literature within the polling place?
Besides, they aren’t preventing voter fraud. The Secretary of State is. That’s why all the same-day registration ballots are considered absentee, and go through the same process of vetting as other absentee ballots.
But what if the SOS people aren’t independent?!?!?! Well, my friends, that’s why they allow the press to observe.
October 3rd, 2008 at 2:33 pm