More info: Judge refuses to block Florida voter purge.

[elleng]

Still don't have entire gist of his decision, from the bench; need transcript for that, but this article gives a bit more substance.

'Hinkle in ruling from the bench said federal laws are designed to block states from removing eligible voters close to an election. He said they are not designed to block voters who should have never been allowed to cast ballots in the first place.

Although "questioning someone's citizenship" is not a trivial matter, Hinkle also said that non-citizens should not be allowed to vote.

"People need to know we are running an honest election," said Hinkle, who was appointed by former President Bill Clinton.

Gov. Rick Scott, who first initiated the push to identify non-citizens on the voter rolls, praised Hinkle's decision.

"The court made a common-sense decision consistent with what I've been saying all along: that irreparable harm will result if non-citizens are allowed to vote," Scott said in a statement.

But during the court hearing, an attorney representing the state said Florida has voluntarily stopped pursuing a longer list of voters it has identified as potentially ineligible.

State officials already asked local election supervisors to check out the citizenship status of more than 2,600 voters. It also has a list of 182,000 voters it has not yet distributed.'


http://www.winknews.com/Local-Florida/2012-06-27/Judge-refuses-to-block-Florida-voter-purge

[monmouth]

1. And hopefully election supers will continue to ignore the purge nonsense...n/t

[lpbk2713]

2. Scott is a weasel.

His motivation is so obvious anyone can see through him.

[southernyankeebelle]

3. Everyone but republicans can see this is voter suppression. I just hope and pray dems

will get the opportunity to get even.

[Freddie Stubbs]

5. Not here in Florida:

Most voters approve of governor's purge, poll says

Three out of five Florida voters say they favor Gov. Rick Scott's effort to purge potential non-citizens from the state's voter rolls, a poll released Wednesday showed.

The survey of 1,697 Florida voters by Quinnipiac (Conn.) University showed 60 percent in favor and 35 percent opposed to the governor's attempts. Five percent didn't have an opinion. The margin of error in a snapshot of voters' views taken between June 12 and June 18 was plus or minus 2.4 percentage points.

“Gov. Scott may be a lot less popular in Florida these days than President Barack Obama, but on the face-off between the two on the purge issue, Floridians seem to be solidly in Scott's corner,” pollster Peter Brown said Wednesday. “Whether this voter purge becomes a big deal issue in the campaign or not is not clear at this point.”

A similar majority, 56 percent, also supported the state's “stand your ground” law that allows citizens to defend themselves with deadly force if they feel threatened. Thirty-seven percent said they oppose the law.

more: http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/local/breakingnews/sfl-q-poll-voter-purge-20120620,0,2730702.story

[elleng]

7. Of course, the wording of the poll questions are CRITICAL!

[southernyankeebelle]

9. That's what I mean. Republicans think its great idea. Dems think is voter suppression.

[EFerrari]

13. The difference is, Dems can point to instances of qualified voters

being disenfranchised. Republicans can't show non-citizen voting is a problem because it isn't. Remember, Bush assigned a US attorney to find voter fraud in New Mexico and fired him because he didn't find any. That's the facts.

[1StrongBlackMan]

4. I object, Your Honoring ...

Although "questioning someone's citizenship" is not a trivial matter, Hinkle also said that non-citizens should not be allowed to vote.

... assuming fact, not in evidence.

'Hinkle in ruling from the bench said federal laws are designed to block states from removing eligible voters close to an election. He said they are not designed to block voters who should have never been allowed to cast ballots in the first place.

"Further, Your Honor, and recognizing the risk of a contempt order, I beg that you repeat what you have just ruled ... out loud and ask yourself whether your argument makes since. You have upheld a practice that has been shown to remove eligible voters in contradiction to federal laws, in order to prevent prevent ineligible voters that are not voting from voting? Come on ... Your Richard is showing!"

[elleng]

6. Appears to have assumed NO fact not in evidence.

Non-citizens should NOT be allowed to vote.

[EFerrari]

8. What is the evidence that non-citizens are voting?

And you know this purge is aimed at Latino voters in Florida, right?

This is state sponsored racism as well as vote suppression.

[elleng]

10. I know it is state-sponsored racism,

but the judge was not asked to determine whether non-citizens are voting, whether scott is a racist, or whether repugs are tearing us apart; he was asked whether the state was handling the 'purge,' to assure non-citizens don't vote, properly.

[EFerrari]

11. Maybe I don't understand. Doesn't that pre-suppose

that non-citizen voters are a problem?

[1StrongBlackMan]

12. And that IS ...

the fact not in evidence. In fact, this case should have been dismissed upon pleadings.

[EFerrari]

14. I hope that judge at least got dinner out of it. n/t

[elleng]

16. The CASE was brought by the Federal government:

'A judge on Wednesday rejected a request by federal authorities to block Florida's contentious move to remove potentially ineligible voters from its rolls.

U.S. District Judge Robert Hinkle said there was nothing in federal voting laws that prevent the state from identifying voters who may not be U.S. citizens even if it is close to the upcoming Aug. 14 election.'

You want it to be dismissed?

[1StrongBlackMan]

24. Yes ...

The Voters Act is clear that NO changes are to made to voter rolls within 90 days of a federal election.

There are alreadt provisions for this ... the state is free to provide provisional ballots for those that it suspects are ineligible to vote.

[elleng]

15. It assumes they MAY exist,

does not assume a 'problem,' imo.

[EFerrari]

17. Then that assumption is faulty and should be challenged.

I didn't go to law school like you two. But there is no voter fraud problem in this country.

[elleng]

18. I agree that there is no voter fraud problem in this country,

The Feds brought the case agsinst Florida, which pretends there is such a problem.

'A judge on Wednesday rejected a request by federal authorities to block Florida's contentious move to remove potentially ineligible voters from its rolls.

U.S. District Judge Robert Hinkle said there was nothing in federal voting laws that prevent the state from identifying voters who may not be U.S. citizens even if it is close to the upcoming Aug. 14 election.'

[EFerrari]

19. So, is the problem in the way the Feds wrote the complaint?

[elleng]

20. Don't know; have to check.

Would like to read a transcript of today's hearing.

[EFerrari]

21. I appreciate that, elleng, because it never would have occurred to me. n/t

[elleng]

22. FUNNIEST THING, EF!

Just googled 'Florida voter purge hearing transcript,' and what pops up???
http://www.democraticunderground.com/1002864000

[EFerrari]

23. LOL!

See, you're a news maker!

[elleng]

26. We all are, prolly!

[1StrongBlackMan]

25. Maybe the Judge should re-read the law in question ...

Here, I'll make it easy:

(2)(A) A State shall complete, not later than 90 days prior to the date of a primary or general election for Federal office, any program the purpose of which is to systematically remove the names of ineligible voters from the official lists of eligible voters.

http://www.justice.gov/crt/about/vot/42usc/subch_ih.php

[HockeyMom]

27. I keep looking in my mailbox for mine.

As a Democrat in a very, very area of Florida, I am not being paranoid.