Elections chiefs to discuss purging of voters (Florida)

[Judi Lynn]

Posted on Sat, Jun. 05, 2004

ELECTIONS


Elections chiefs to discuss purging of voters

The conference of Florida's 67 election supervisors will be dominated by talk of the possible purging of nearly 48,000 voters before fall.

BY GARY FINEOUT
[e-mail]

The 67 men and women responsible for running this fall's presidential election in Florida will meet in Key West next week, where they are expected to eat, soak up some sun and maybe decide the fate of nearly 50,000 voters.
(snip)

Under state law, felons are barred from voting unless they have had their civil rights restored by the state. In early May, the state said it had identified nearly 47,700 voters as potential felons and asked county election supervisors to begin the process of purging their names from the rolls.

STARTING LAWSUITS

The decision has sparked an outcry from groups that sued over the controversial 2000 election. Cable News Network (CNN) has gone to court in Leon County to obtain the list of felons from state officials, who have declined to turn it over because they say state law prohibits it from being copied. Meanwhile, the American Civil Liberties Union and other groups are threatening another round of litigation over the voter rolls.

On Friday, Sen. Bill Nelson jumped into the fray, saying he would file a court brief on Monday on behalf of CNN's effort to obtain the list of voters.
(snip/...)


http://www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/news/local/8844161.htm


Democratic Senator Bill Nelson

[NewHampshireDem]

1. And so it begins ...

Obviously their attempt to make sure no blacks voted ... oops, I mean only those allowed to vote ... oops again ... only those who will vote for the right candidate ... oh, dammit, my fingers keep slipping. I guess I'll have to try again later.

[teryang]

2. Election supervisors at the Tiki Bar

...when they should be working on the verification/ editing of this list 24/7.

The list should be published immediately, so people misidentified can clear their names, and the probative worth of the list can be publicly critiqued.

[Racenut20]

3. It is (according to Jebs' bunch) up to the individual

in 2000, if it hit odd ball matchups it would purge the name. Same name with a second match would do it.

[soup]

5. and should be working on the 1999/2000 list as well.

further on in the article:

Meanwhile, Secretary of State Glenda Hood -- who oversees the state Division of Elections -- asked on May 25 that each supervisor give her office an ''overview'' and ''time frame'' for how they plan to carry out the purge of felons.
>snip<

But some groups have reacted very angrily to Hood's letter. They say Hood is pushing for information on purging the rolls, yet she has not asked some counties why they have not responded to another list sent out in September that includes people who may be eligible to be restored to the voting rolls.

The state sent out the list of nearly 20,000 voters who may have been improperly removed from the rolls in 1999 and 2000.

The Herald reported in May that only 33 of 67 counties had responded to the restoration request, which was required under the settlement reached between the state and the NAACP.
-----

link to Miami Herald article cited above:
http://www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/8759882.htm


and by the way, who is paying for this little get-together in Margaritaville?

[1monster]

10. That's what I don't understand... If one's name is purged from the

voter roles, shouldn't one be officially notified of this? Shouldn't one be given the opportunity to have the state government PROVE that one is ineligible to vote?

Why hasn't any of those suing the state going after this as a violation of due process as well as a violation of Constitutional rights?

[FlaGranny]

11. To her credit,

Teresa LePore (Palm Beach County) says she will not use the list. She didn't use the previous one either. Keeps her own list, but who's to say how good that is.

[The Backlash Cometh]

4. Key West is a very odd place to hold a business meeting.

It's a four hour drive south from Miami on straight highway. Very inconvenient travel destination for a government meeting. Maybe they plan to come in by private luxury ships?

[soup]

6. Maybe it came down to a decision between

Key West's Duval Street or Tallahassee's Capitol building.
Sure know which one I'd pick.

[RUMMYisFROSTED]

7. "...eat, soak up some sun and maybe decide the fate of

nearly 50,000 voters."

At least they've got their priorities straight.

[soup]

8. and while I'm at it -

How the hell can any list be valid if it's predicated by 'relying solely on arrest data' from Florida?

Arrest data rather than conviction records? I vaguely remember something called innocent until proven guilty...
-----

Could someone interpret the highlighted sentence at the end of this paragraph for me? I don't know if it's because I'm seeing red right now, or if it actually just does not make any sense.

Civil rights groups and others say the new list is still subject to errors. On Thursday, several groups sent a letter to state election officials contending Florida may be violating federal civil rights law if it pushes ahead with the new voter-roll purge. Florida has five counties that must ''pre-clear'' any changes to voting procedures with the Department of Justice.

Hunh??? I'm baffled :shrug:

[The Backlash Cometh]

12. Good catch.

Arrest records only reflect the police's discriminatory practices and because the media hasn't bothered to point out the blatant flaw in using arrest records to establish policy, the general public just blandly continues to believe that the numbers support their prejudicial views of minorities.

[Elidor]

9. I can't believe there is any law allowing them to purge "potential" felons

"The state said it had identified nearly 47,700 voters as potential felons and asked county election supervisors to begin the process of purging their names from the rolls."

The burden of proof should be on the state here, not the individual. These crooks are trying to see what they can get away with. If they're allowed to do this again, there can be no pretense to voter's rights in Florida. "Sorry we disenfranchised you - try again in 2008."

[Catt03]

13. Don't you know?

Florida is "special".

Just as in 2000, the legislature believe it can do anything it wants, when ever it wants.

[Judi Lynn]

14. I'll NEVER get over the Fl. House of Rep's. choosing a NEW SLATE

of Electors when they believed Gore might win Florida, and they intended to send that slate of electors who had pledged to vote for Bush to Washington.

I have NEVER seen a perversion of elections of this magnitude, done right in front of our helpless eyes.

Here's a discussion of it from PBS, with Florida scums from the Florida legislature:

http://www.pbs.org/newshour/bb/election/july-dec00/fl_11-30.html

It could make you gag.

[Skarbrowe]

15. Glenda Hood

Glenda Hood was the corrupt Republican mayor of Orlando when I was living there in 2002. It's no surprise at all that she made it to Secretary of State. Jeb will do anything and everything he can to steal yet another election for his brother.

I have heard that anyone not on a voter's registration list will supposedly be able to do a provisional vote and be checked out later to see if they are eligible to vote. I'm not sure if this is correct or not. If it is, I don't see how Florida could be called for anyone for several days. Unless it's a landslide for Kerry!

Skarbrowe

[Judi Lynn]

16. Thanks for pointing out provisional votes, Skarbrowe.

I've heard the term before. People need to hear more about this. It could become very important.

Didn't know who Glenda Hood was before now. Interesting. And rotten!

You've supplied some helpful news, Skarbrowe! Welcome to D.U.:hi: :hi: :hi:

[Skarbrowe]

17. Thanks!

Thanks JudiLyn! I'll try to do some research on the provisional vote subject because, at the moment, I don't remember where I read about it and I don't want to give out false information.

Oh, and I can bet they are not going to drive down to Key West in this weather. Although they probably would use a stretch limousine with a full bar, it's still a long and boring drive. Key West is interesting as long as you don't have to drive there.

Key West?? It does sound strange. Guess they all want a vacation because they don't plan on taking one name off the felony voter's list. All most people do there is drink. :) It's one bar after another. Oh, and lots of cats.

Skarbrowe

[Catt03]

18. Theresa LaPore, Palm Beach County

has promised...promised, promised that she will go over every felon listed with a magnifying glass.

We plan to watch her do it!