Yes, we can.

[flippyshark]

Originally Posted by scaeagles

First of all, if someone is going to do that - which I doubt, and these kind of things are so ridiculously easy to fabricate - I really, really doubt they're going to leave in a car described as such.

I got an email of a memo from ACORN which described how the voters they illegally registered were told to be sure to change their clothing and wait at least a half an hour between votes, particularly if they were voting in the same polling location.

May I assume you did not believe this email? (I certainly don't, at least not from your description of it. Nor does the story from lashbear's post sound at all likely.) Do you honestly believe that this is anything but lazy workers filling out bad registrations in order to collect a paycheck without actually working? If you are persuaded by the ACORN conspiracy accusations, could you guide us to some evidence? Is ACORN providing everyone with fake IDs? Exactly how is Mickey Mouse going to vote, and whose costume will he change into for his second and third trips to the same polling location?

I'll give you the benefit of the doubt and assume you find both stories bogus.

[Alex]

Originally Posted by flippyshark

If you are persuaded by the ACORN conspiracy accusations, could you guide us to some evidence? Is ACORN providing everyone with fake IDs?

I believe that scaeagles was pointing out how easy it is to make up stories (in response to the likely fictitious story lashbear posted -- I'm not clear why voting a straight Democratic ticket would cancel a ballot).

But regardless, in response to the quoted sentence, many states, including California, do not require providing any type of ID when you vote.

In fact, my local precinct went one step further when I lived in Oakland. Outside the polling place they posted the list of all the people who were registered at the location (public information anyway). I could easily have requested a ballot in the name of any person on that list. There would be the chance the person had already voted (one election they were crossing names out throughout the day to reflect who'd voted but that was just one) but if I'd been willing I could easily have voted several times a day.

I have no problem with ID laws but there also is no evidence that voter fraud is particularly rampant so I don't care much either way.

[blueerica]

Originally Posted by Alex

I believe that scaeagles was pointing out how easy it is to make up stories (in response to the likely fictitious story lashbear posted -- I'm not clear why voting a straight Democratic ticket would cancel a ballot).

But regardless, in response to the quoted sentence, many states, including California, do not require providing any type of ID when you vote.

In fact, my local precinct went one step further when I lived in Oakland. Outside the polling place they posted the list of all the people who were registered at the location (public information anyway). I could easily have requested a ballot in the name of any person on that list. There would be the chance the person had already voted (one election they were crossing names out throughout the day to reflect who'd voted but that was just one) but if I'd been willing I could easily have voted several times a day.

I have no problem with ID laws but there also is no evidence that voter fraud is particularly rampant so I don't care much either way.

Actually the list is supposed to be publicly posted outside the polling place and updated X number of times a day. It's been a while since I've worked at a polling place, but it is the case last I knew. I believe it is so that a party can see whether "Oh, wow, this whole block hasn't come out to vote yet.." and decide to walk down that block, knock on their door, and remind them to vote. I can't remember whether political affiliation was posted. I'm thinking it's not posted.

As an aside, I have yet to receive my absentee ballot stuff.

[Alex]

Originally Posted by blueerica

Actually the list is supposed to be publicly posted outside the polling place and updated X number of times a day. It's been a while since I've worked at a polling place, but it is the case last I knew. I believe it is so that a party can see whether "Oh, wow, this whole block hasn't come out to vote yet.." and decide to walk down that block, knock on their door, and remind them to vote. I can't remember whether political affiliation was posted. I'm thinking it's not posted.

As an aside, I have yet to receive my absentee ballot stuff.

Well, only once did I see the list being updated to show who had voted but maybe I just didn't notice. Still struck me as wildly reckless to post the exact information needed to commit real voting fraud:

1. Name
2. Address
3. Whether that person has already voted

Combined with no need to provide evidence of identification it just seemed lame. Still, there's no evidence of even a low level of widespread abuse, just seemed stupid.

I can't remember if party registration was posted, though it must have been for primaries since California has closed primaries.

[Stan4dSteph]

Originally Posted by Alex

Well, only once did I see the list being updated to show who had voted but maybe I just didn't notice. Still struck me as wildly reckless to post the exact information needed to commit real voting fraud:

1. Name
2. Address
3. Whether that person has already voted

Combined with no need to provide evidence of identification it just seemed lame. Still, there's no evidence of even a low level of widespread abuse, just seemed stupid.

I can't remember if party registration was posted, though it must have been for primaries since California has closed primaries.

In NY I have to sign a register, and they have a copy of my signature on file that the poll worker compares it against. Is there something like that in CA? I don't remember, but I thought I had to sign something there. Not sure if it was next to my existing signature though.

[scaeagles]

Originally Posted by Alex

I believe that scaeagles was pointing out how easy it is to make up stories (in response to the likely fictitious story lashbear posted -- I'm not clear why voting a straight Democratic ticket would cancel a ballot).

That's exactly what I was doing.