more on RIGHT ON !!! -- Election Day Offer

[David Farber <dave () farber net>]

Begin forwarded message:

From: Larry Tesler <tesler () pobox com>
Date: August 29, 2004 2:28:09 PM EDT
To: dave () farber net
Subject: Re: [IP] RIGHT ON !!! -- Election Day Offer

I have seen some of the problems that Jonathan Goldstein cites. Here 
are three  more.

When you move out of California, there is no way to get your name off 
of the voter roles. After the next presidential election, because you 
failed to vote, your name will be removed automatically. That could be 
four years after you moved. But at least it is possible that one of 
your neighbors may notice if someone has signed on your line in the 
sign-in book, and report the fraud.

Just for fun, next time you see someone on the street registering 
voters, tell him your party affiliation and pretend to want to 
register. See what happens if your affiliation differs from his. When 
the Democratic party trained me to register voters, I was sternly 
advised to register everyone, regardless of party. But I have had 
friends trying to register as Democrats turned down by Republican 
volunteers. Although targeting voter registration at a certain party 
violates federal regulations, the RNC shamelessly continues to do it; 
see http://www.gop.com/news/read.aspx?ID=3989.

Goldstein may or may not classify it as intimidation, but sometimes, 
corporate executives warn employees that they'll lose jobs unless a 
certain candidate or party is elected. A cousin of mine, a lifelong 
Democrat, told me once that he had to vote Republican for that reason.

These problems, and the ones that Goldstein cites, are real, important, 
and hard to address. But they are unlikely to reverse the outcome of an 
election as simply and drastically as a program error that swaps yes 
and no votes.

Larry Tesler

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