Diary of a Mad Voter: Joan McCarter
Vote Caging Comes to Montana
"Bad officials are elected by good citizens who do not vote."
-- former NBC President Andrew Lack, at a Congressional hearing on the networks' election night 2000 miscalls.
And what happens when bad officials try to keep those good citizens from voting? We're watching that unfold right now, in Montana.
By Joan McCarter, 10-07-08
 |
|
 | |
| Caption: University of Montana student Tyler Albrethsen protests last week's Republican challenge of more than 6,000 voters outside Congressman Dennis Rehberg's office in Missoula on Tuesday morning. Photo by Anne Medley | |
|
As posted here on New West last week, with their gubenatorial candidate lagging far behind and single digit lead for McCain in the state, Montana Republicans are throwing their own version of a hail Mary, taken right out of the Karl Rove playbook. Yup, they’re trying to take away the vote:
The state Republican Party this week challenged the eligibility of 6,000 registered Montana voters in seven counties historically considered Democratic strongholds.
More than half of the people challenged statewide live, or previously lived, in Missoula County....
“The integrity of the voting process is something that has to be above reproach to have faith in the system,” state GOP executive director Jacob Eaton said. “We aren’t trying to prevent anyone from voting. We want people to register properly.”
Right. “Integrity” is the one thing that’s missing from this ploy. For the Montana Republican Party to argue that this is anything but a partisan effort to steal the vote is laughable--they are targeting the six counties that most reliably vote Democratic. Why not the whole state, if they’re so worried about the integrity of the vote?
Nothing proves this more clearly than some of the people who’ve shown up on their challenge list. Consider Army 1st Lt. Kevin Furey of Helena, a former Montana state representative.
Furey got the news just days before he will ship off to Kuwait and then Iraq for his second tour of duty.
“It is ironic that at the same time I am about to return to Iraq to help build a democracy that my own right to vote is being challenged at home for partisan purposes. These challenges are a blatant and offensive attempt to suppress the rights of voters,” Furey said in a telephone interview from Chicago, where he was on leave visiting his ailing grandmother.
Furey submitted a change of address to his post office, so that his mail will go to his parents’ house while he’s deployed. Pretty nefarious stuff, there.
It gets, unbelievably, worse. This is from an op-ed written this weekend by Montana’s lt. governor, John Bohlinger:
Frank St. Pierre, of Anaconda, fought in World War II. He is one of the most decorated living veterans in America. And yet, on Wednesday, my party — the Montana Republican Party — tried to invalidate his voter registration because he lives in a county with a lot of Democrats. Incredible as this may sound to you, it is the truth....
Many [challenged voters] were college students and elderly people. For example, Babe Aspholm, of Anaconda, an elderly man, simply moved across town from his house to a senior living center. The Republicans tried to void his registration. Tom Detonacour, a policeman from Deer Lodge County who simply bought a house in another county, also got targeted.
But worst of all is the legendary Frank St. Pierre, 86, also of Anaconda, who helped save thousands of allied troops at Dunkirk in World War II and has 10 Medals of Honor. St. Pierre, too, moved from one end of town to the other, and the Republicans tried to void his and his wife’s registrations. I have a copy of the signed affidavits from the Republicans, declaring that Frank and Marilyn St. Pierre’s voter registrations must be purged. An utter disgrace.
That’s the stupid part of the move by the Republican, according to Matt Singer, director of Forward Montana, with whom I spoke Monday. “This shows how insane the list is.” He said he likes to give the Republicans the benefit of the doubt and assume that some of the people on this list were included out of sheer stupidity. And it would appear they were, because Matt himself is on that list. Matt, as director of Forward Montana, is just about the worst person a dumb Republican can target in a voter disenfranchisement scheme. Along with a few others, including Matt Gouras an AP reporter covering the presidential race in Montana, Alden Downing, communications director for GOP gubernatorial candidate Roy Brown, and state representative Art Noonan.
But there’s also a high degree of maliciousness driving the move to disenfranchise so many, and most of them from Democratic counties. For example, five percent of all the registered voters in Missoula County--1 in 20 voters--is on the list. That’s primarily college students. I asked Matt how county election officials--the people who will have to determine the eligibility of all these challenged voters--are reacting. He told me that Vickie Zeier, the elections clerk who is normally one of the most unflappable people he knows is “mildly flapped.” At the busiest time in the season (not counting election day) she’s had to put five full time employees on the task of dealing with these challenges. It’s going to take potentially tens of thousands of dollars in staff time and printing and mailing costs, money that a relatively small county with a small tax base like Missoula Co. just doesn’t have.
To put into perspective the scope of what the Republican challenge means for the state, 6,000 voters was just twice the margin in the Tester/Burns race in 2006. In a small state like Montana, 6,000 people is a lot. Which is a double-edge sword for the Republicans there. It means that while the vote could be easily changed, when an effort is blatantly partisan as this one has been, more people will be angered because everyone is going to know someone whose right to vote is being challenged.
Matt and Forward Montana are fighting back, wanting to “make sure that people know that their right to vote is challenged, but the challenge is so weak that they will be able to vote.” Montanans can call his group at 406-542-VOTE to find out more, including whether they are on the list and what to do to be able to vote. They have a full list of targeted voters at MontanaVoterSuppression.org, “a one-stop location for voters to find out what to do if they are challenged, for people looking for updates and news on the suppression efforts, and for Montanans looking to demand an end to voter suppression in our state.” Additionally, the Montana Democratic Party has filed federal suit to stop counties from sending letters challenging these voters.
This effort at voter suppression is a more ham-handed one than we generally see, because it was targeted at such high profile people. Chances are, it’s a small enough state and outrage will be high enough (even among some Montana Republicans) that it won’t work there. But voter suppression efforts are happening all over the country, usually targeting college students and minorities. Luckily, there are organizations like Forward Montana and, on a national level, Election Protection, a non-partisan group headed up by the Lawyers Committee for Civil Rights Under Law, to make sure that the right to vote is protected for everyone who is eligible.
[End of article]nothing- absolutely nothing grinds my gears like a hypocrite. the republican party professes patriotism and the american flag while their leaders attempt to disenfranchise voters who don't agree with their policies. this is blatant outright hypocrisy practised by a party so bankrupt in values that reasonable republicans everywhere are too ashamed and embarrassed to be associated with it anymore.
Comment By roseinmt, 10-07-08The thing that ticks me off about this voter challenge is that for folks that are receiving the challenge must sign a notarized statement that they are legally able to vote at that address. That means finding a notary to sign in front off and frequently paying a fee. They challengers should have to put up money to pay for the innocents notary fees so no targeted voter has to spent money out of their own pocket. Notaries could submit a bill for any they stamp. At least make them put their money where their mouth is. It isn't fair in this current economy to make anyone, particularly seniors on a fixed income or students on a starving student diet to have to worry about coming up with a notary fee, which can be as high as ten dollars. Of course the added strain of trying to locate a notary adds to the burden. In some small towns, it may not be easy.
Comment By Dave Skinner, 10-07-08Well, I just moved and about the second or third thing I did was go down and change my voter registration to my new district. Lost my precinct committeecreature slot and everything, couldn't vote against Whitefish's crazy bond issues any more even though I maintain my PO box there.
Why? Because that's the rules. Follow the rules and then you don't need to be fixed by a notary.
With ACORN et al playing so fast and loose, never mind the same-day registration fiasco in Missoula, which WAS a factor in the 2006 election...I don't blame the GOP for doing this even if I think it's hair-splitting.
Actually, the elections office said if someone just moved they are allowed to vote one last time at their old address before changing over. Also, some of these folks didn't change districts, just addresses. They would still be voting for the same folks on the ballot. There is no ACORN office in Montana so you can't put any blame on them for any voter registration issues.
Comment By Joan McCarter, 10-07-08Dave, judging by the number of people caught up in this--state representatives, for example--these are people who are just as responsible as you, and changed their voter registration when they moved, if it was necessary. The problem with the challenges is that they're based on USPS change of address info, nothing else. So your argument doesn't address the issue at all.
Comment By roseinmt, 10-07-08Yes, like former Representative Kevin Furey, getting ready to deploy to Kuwait and Iraq, forwarding his mail to his parents as he goes off to get shot at for the US military. Think maybe he should get to preserve his right to vote? Maybe they targeted him because he was a former representative? Or because he is a democrat? Or old folks moving into an assisted living facility that still own their home at the registered address? They still own the home, why shouldn't they get to vote for that address?
Comment By Dave Skinner, 10-07-08Look, these are party operatives. They're so wrapped up in the microtargeting game that they have a tin ear to everything else. Never mind that the examples presented above might be the exceptions that prove the rule. So let the process shake out, have the press tell the truth, and THEN we'll see.
If it turns out there are a number of invalid names, then those should disappear from the rolls, eh? Good housekeeping, wot?
that's right dave, let's piss off the entire population of reasonable montanans to erase a handful of folks who wouldn't have even shown up at the polls anyway. that makes a lot of sense if your real objective is to discourage busy democrats from voting against your right wing friends. your brand of patriotism discourages legal voting. mine encourages it. your brand of politics rewards bad behavior. mine rewards good behavior. that is why your brand of politics is bankrupt now. obviously corrupt republicans like you have gone to the well too many times with that crock you dish out. you are a phony patriot. i believe in freedom - the freedom of voters to make a choice without nazi conservatives over-policing and vote caging the system to cheat.
Comment By Dave Skinner, 10-08-08Well, let me ask you this, PB.
Is it really a good thing to roust street bums and other lowlifes, such as driving ex-cons across town, a released rapist at that, to register to vote? Are these people really going to vote wisely, not just on candidates but on ballot initiatives and bonds? Do they really know the issues well enough to make an informed choice, never mind that voter registration is a fundamental civic right?
If someone has so little energy or mental horsepower that they can't vote under their own power, but need to be dragged out or dredged up, then perhaps we're better off as a whole if they stay the heck out of the booth. You can't say we have a "good" government at the present time. I won't.
those would be good questions to ask his honor district judge Donald Malloy at Jake Eaton's hearing this tuesday, Dave. you might want to rephrase some of the wording though- i hear he's a bit testy about the whole thing.
you're right, dave. this isn't a very good government right now- in fact, i believe the republican administration in charge right now is in contention for the prize as the all time worst, knocking out millard fillmore and herbert hoover. but don't worry. we'll fix all that for you come november.