Election Update: Fraud at My Voting Location?
Every election, we hear accusations of voter fraud. I've always taken these with a grain of salt; but I've never completely discounted the possibility. Today was the first time I think I witnessed fraud. This year I returned home from my office early to vote. Three things happened that have me wondering whether what I saw was voter fraud in action.
First, while waiting on line, the woman in front of me kept giving her last name and the election official kept telling the woman her name wasn't in the book that you sign. After some persistence on the part of the voter, the official found the name. This can't be all that difficult since the names are in alphabetical order, but it was. I figured there was a misunderstanding or the official couldn't spell
Second, when it came my turn to sign the book I noticed my sons name unsigned above mine. (We have the same first name.) This struck me as strange, since I had spoken with him during the day and he said he had voted. So I figured I misunderstood him when we spoke earlier.
Third, later in the day I brought the unsigned name up and my son explained that they couldn't find his name and so he had to sign an affidavit in order to vote. Couldn't find his name? Something started to sound fishy. My son further explained that 4 or 5 people who were on line faced the same problem: their names couldn't be found in the book and they had to sign an affidavit in order to vote.
This time around, I realized that my misunderstanding was misplaced.
It's possible that the officials can't spell, or are simply incompetent. But nothing like this every happened in my previous experience voting. Is it all just a coincidence that all these people's names "couldn't be found" in the books?
I don't know exactly how voter fraud takes place, but I do know that there are, I suspect, at least 5 or 6 names in those books that are unsigned, the voters having been told the names weren't there, and being directed to sign affidavits. Is it possible for someone to sign the book in place of the authorized voters and cast a vote? I have no idea. But there shouldn't be this sort of confusion at the place where you vote.
Hmmm....
First, while waiting on line, the woman in front of me kept giving her last name and the election official kept telling the woman her name wasn't in the book that you sign. After some persistence on the part of the voter, the official found the name. This can't be all that difficult since the names are in alphabetical order, but it was. I figured there was a misunderstanding or the official couldn't spell
Second, when it came my turn to sign the book I noticed my sons name unsigned above mine. (We have the same first name.) This struck me as strange, since I had spoken with him during the day and he said he had voted. So I figured I misunderstood him when we spoke earlier.
Third, later in the day I brought the unsigned name up and my son explained that they couldn't find his name and so he had to sign an affidavit in order to vote. Couldn't find his name? Something started to sound fishy. My son further explained that 4 or 5 people who were on line faced the same problem: their names couldn't be found in the book and they had to sign an affidavit in order to vote.
This time around, I realized that my misunderstanding was misplaced.
It's possible that the officials can't spell, or are simply incompetent. But nothing like this every happened in my previous experience voting. Is it all just a coincidence that all these people's names "couldn't be found" in the books?
I don't know exactly how voter fraud takes place, but I do know that there are, I suspect, at least 5 or 6 names in those books that are unsigned, the voters having been told the names weren't there, and being directed to sign affidavits. Is it possible for someone to sign the book in place of the authorized voters and cast a vote? I have no idea. But there shouldn't be this sort of confusion at the place where you vote.
Hmmm....
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