Ohio's election official must verify IDs of newly registered voters

[gmoney]

Judge: Ohio's election official must verify IDs of newly registered voters
Associated Press
Friday, October 10, 2008
CINCINNATI — A federal judge on Thursday, Oct. 9, ordered Ohio's top elections official to verify the identity of newly registered voters by matching them with other government documents.

A U.S. District Court judge in Columbus ruled that Ohio Secretary of State Jennifer Brunner must perform verification required by the Help American Vote Act.
That includes matching new registrants' information with information in databases maintained by the Ohio Bureau of Motor Vehicles or the Social Security Administration.
The order was the result of a lawsuit filed by the Ohio Republican Party against Brunner, a Democrat.

"Plaintiffs assert, and the court agrees, that it is hard to imagine a public interest more compelling than safeguarding the legitimacy of the election of the president of the United States," Judge George C. Smith wrote in his ruling.

Brunner also was ordered to establish a process by which Ohio's 88 county election boards can access data generated by the checks.

Residents registering to vote must provide their name, address, birth date and either their driver's license number or the last four digits of their Social Security number.

Brunner has said the state matches registration information against data in the Bureau of Motor Vehicles system and the Social Security database. But she also has said that federal law provides no requirements regarding what to do if a mismatch is discovered, and it is up to counties to check the system for flagged registrations and investigate if warranted.

A call seeking comment from Brunner on the ruling was not immediately returned.

"Defendant argues that a temporary restraining order would undermine confidence in Ohio's election process since it suggests the court has to correct a problem where none exists," Smith wrote.

"The court, however, has identified a serious problem, and the only identifiable harm is the burden that will be placed upon the state to perform the two to three days of programming."

Republicans hailed the ruling.

"For some reason, Jennifer Brunner does not want these new registrations checked," Ohio Republican Party Deputy Chairman Kevin DeWine said.

[tblue]

1. I really hate Republicans.

[bluestateguy]

2. I'm reminded of Andrew Jackson at times like this

After the Supreme Court ruled against his Administration he said "John Marshall has made his decision, now let him enforce it."

[shraby]

3. Putting the last 4 digits of a social security

number on the registration will open people to credit card fraud of the first magnitude. That's chilling!

[L. Coyote]

4. How about bank accounts and identity theft.

"I'm sorry, there is no money in your bank account."

[jagerbb]

5. The ACORN voter fraud solution

Here's the answer to the ACORN voter fraud problem

http://thejagergazette.blogspot.com/2008/10/acorn-solution-get-your-own-ass-out-to.html

[mod mom]

6. Update: Sixth Circuit Panel, 2-1, Vacates Order

Sixth Circuit Panel, 2-1, Vacates Order
October 11
In Ohio Republican Party v. Brunner, the majority ruled that the district
court's order, coming so close to Election Day, was unduly disruptive and
thus improper. The Republicans could have challenged the Secretary of
State's procedures for verifying new voter registrations much earlier in the
electoral process and thus, according to the opinion, should not be
permitted such “late-game litigation.” The majority further opined that the
Secretary was unlikely in violation of the Help America Vote Act. While “it
would be nice if the system printed out a list of individuals . . . that did
not match,” the majority concluded that “HAVA does not require that level of
user-friendliness.” The dissenting judge accused the panel majority of both
(1) an “astounding and deeply disturbing” “lack of concern for the integrity
of the electoral process” and (2) a failure to follow the Sixth Circuit’s
own internal procedures by releasing its decision before the full appeals
court could rule on the matter. It is possible that the full Sixth Circuit
will still do so, as a request for that action remains pending.

http://moritzlaw.osu.edu/electionlaw/news/articles.php?ID=2513

Bottom line: the deadline for challenges is 20 days prior to the election, Wednesday the 15th according to my count (RC 3503.24). Rather than concern about “the integrity of the electoral process,” my sense is the GOP wants a list of voters they can challenge or intimidate. The Ohio GOP in 2004 picked up the hotel tab in Columbus for a group which called itself the “Texas Strike Force.” That group made phone calls threatening voters with arrest if they showed up at polls.