Phoenix Mayor Greg Stanton calls for DOJ probe as voter anger grows over long waits

[w4rma]

Source: The Arizona Republic

Complaints about waits in lines that topped five hours in some locations, a shortage of ballots and inadequate staffing at the county's 60 polling locations stoked anger and drew condemnation from Gov. Doug Ducey, lawmakers and national groups.

Phoenix Mayor Greg Stanton asked U.S. Attorney General Loretta Lynch to launch an investigation into what he called "a fiasco."

A petition asking the Obama administration to order the U.S. Justice Department to investigate "voter fraud" in Tuesday's election was 60 percent toward its goal of 100,000 signatures by noon.

U.S. Rep. Raúl Grijalva, D-Ariz., urged people to contact his office with their complaints, which he said he will use to propose legislation to fix voting irregularities.

The chairman of the state House Elections Committee has set a 10 a.m. hearing for Monday to explore why Maricopa County provided only 60 polling places, leading to such long lines.

And average voters — or would-be voters — took to social media to express their anger and dismay.

Read more: http://www.azcentral.com/story/news/politics/elections/2016/03/23/ducey-rips-long-voter-lines-calls-them-unacceptable/82160766/

[litlbilly]

1. All the Hillary people saying it didnt happen. Very telling indeed

[fun n serious]

5. I am a Hillary supporter. I never said it didn't happen

I am concerned as to why y'all blame Hillary for this? Explain how she is responsible?

[iwillalwayswonderwhy]

19. I don't think it's Hillary's fault

But it's curious that's she silent on the subject.

[fun n serious]

25. She should be just as concerned.

There was suppression in Latino neighborhoods that usually go to her. I think this affects all DEMS in AZ red! They have a hostory of doing this. I hope DOJ investigates!

[SCantiGOP]

37. Civil Rights Act

Pre-clearance of voting procedure changes no longer needs DOJ approval, so Arizona cut the number of voting places in the biggest Latino area of the state.
It was done - on purpose - by the GOP state government.

[fun n serious]

39. Yes. I believe that too.

I read this from Seattle paper..

You saw individuals who were seniors, handicapped, you also saw individuals who had to spend their entire workday waiting in line to cast a vote," Bolding said. "And this was directly due to the county recorder's negligence in cutting the polling locations in Maricopa County from 200 to 60 locations."
He said while he didn't suspect the efforts were intended to suppress turnout, combined with cuts in election funding and new laws passed by the GOP-controlled Legislature, he sees a pattern.
"When you start to put all of these different voter-suppression mechanisms in a line, it's hard to believe that this is all coincidental," Bolding said."

[ConsiderThis_2016]

59. She was silent with regard to OH as well.

[libdem4life]

80. Yes, if she was Listening, it didn't rate on her Response Release. n/t

[Kingofalldems]

9. I too never said it didn't happen. Please retract.

Looks like republicans are in charge in Arizona from here, BTW.

[ananda]

24. The problem is this.

With DWS in charge of the DNC, there isn't much difference
between her and the Reeps when it comes to elections
manipulation.

And we already know about Bill Clinton's totally illegal
electioneering inside polling places.

[BeanMusical]

42. Yup. +1

[SunSeeker]

55. Bill Clinton did not suppress any votes. The AZ GOP did.

This "both parties are the same" crap is Republican inspired propaganda that has no place on DU.

[beastie boy]

75. This is not the problem discussed in this thread.

This is a diversion from the problem discussed here.

Let's get back to Arizona, shall we?

[AgingAmerican]

104. DWSis the problem

Absolutely relevant

[maxrandb]

63. Hillary Clinton and her supporters had nothing to do with this

and if you think she did, you're delusional.

In everyone's rush to blame Clinton, or ANY Democrat for this crap, we miss the ONE VERY IMPORTANT POINT

GET THE 'EFF' OUT AND 'EFFING' VOTE IN MIDTERM AND LOCAL ELECTIONS LIKE YOUR 'EFFING' RIGHT TO VOTE DEPENDS ON IT

It's NOT Democratic controlled State Legislatures that are cutting polling locations by 70% in "minority" areas!

It's NOT Democratic controlled State Legislature that are passing draconian Voter ID Laws!

It's NOT Democratic President's appointees to the Supreme Court that gutted the Voting Rights Act!

It's NOT Democratic controlled State Legislatures that are purposely blocking access to the ballot box!

Any Democrat who stays home this election cycle because "their guy didn't win", ought to have their head examined.

Any Democrat who suppresses voter turnout by claiming "both parties are just the same", ought to just change their 'effing' registration to the Tea-Bagging Party!

And you can rightly complain that not all Democrats are "perfect", or meet your demands 100%, but they sure are hell aren't taking peoples basic and fundamental right to the ballot box away from them

Now, protecting, defending and expanding Americans basic and fundamental right to vote may not be important enough for you to support our nominees and candidates throughout this country, BUT IT OUGHT TO BE ENOUGH TO VOTE AGAINST THE 'EFFING' BASTARDS THAT ARE TAKING THAT RIGHT AWAY

and please excuse my 'effing' language, but I did spend 30 years in the United States Navy!

[Old Codger]

70. Maybe so

But she and they don't see to mind much, not a peep so far?

[beastie boy]

76. Sure, let's convict Hillary and her supporters

based on complete absence of evidence. Usually works here.

[Old Codger]

78. Lack of evidence?

wasn't talking about "evidence" was referring to the fact that they don't seem to mind that thousands of voters were probably disenfranchised in that "primary". Not one word out of any of camp weather vane on it and all I hear is silence from any of her so called "supporters". If she and the rest of you are so hot to trot for a fair election she and all her minions should be screaming as much as we are about that, the fact that it is not happening speaks loud and clear that it is all A OK as long as it falls in your favor...

[libdem4life]

81. Hyperbole. Rhetoric. The usual oneliner....with a short second. n/t

[Betty Karlson]

77. Then get an F-ing better slogan than "who else are ya gonna vote for"

and develop a platform that brings out the vote; don't call millannials complacent sex-obsessed, hell-bound sexist racist and then wonder why few of them bother to stand in line for your ticket.

[litlbilly]

89. Im sure she had nothing to do with it, but why wont she come out against it then?

Low turnout is good for Hillary and her handlers know that, so, I think they are taking advantage of a bad situation so I blame them at least a little for not pushing hard against this blatant voter suppression. This will simply hurt the dems going forward if we don't fix this now.

[litlbilly]

91. with all that, the corporate 3rdway dems are letting it happen so ...

[litlbilly]

93. So max, you need to be writing letters like this to the repubs that caused it and the dems that

let it happen. Screaming at us will get you nowhere.

[kooth]

97. Right on ...

And thanks for your service!

[litlbilly]

73. and there's the proof...:)

[Fairgo]

103. Yes indeed.

[Amimnoch]

86. I've also never said it didn't happen.

I'm also for investigation.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=view_post&forum=1014&pid=1389146

On the voter suppression itself. 100% agree. No voter.. regardless of the candidate or even Party they support should ever be disenfranchised. period.

What happens in Arizona a couple of days ago was disgusting, and I really hope the voters of that state start taking action to change their political landscape and get changes made to fix it.

I'm a Hillary supporter, and a vocal one. This should not be championed by anyone here. We should all agree that the General election is the end goal, and allowing this to happen in the primary will replicate it in the GE.

Investigate.. identify who and why.. then either fire the faulty parties, or prosecute based on the independent findings, or if the decisions were actually justifiable (reduction based off of actual historical numbers and reasonable forecasting predictions) get those number of polling places changed immediately.

I get this is primary season, and I get that this has a lot of people really ticked off (rightfully so), it's rather insulting and overly hyperbolic (not to mention false) to state that "all the Hillary people saying it didn't happen"

[litlbilly]

92. but you guys never said it did until we pointed it out. You cant change that...

[still_one]

101. I am a Clinton supporter, and I didn't say it didn't happen. In fact, the OP doesn't even go there

[Dont call me Shirley]

2. Bernie won AZ, just as he won IA, MO, IL and MA.

[Nyan]

7. Anybody who doesn't know that doesn't want to know.

Is this what electoral process looks like when we're in the 48th place? It's gotta be worse than that.

[Dont call me Shirley]

10. And just where is the Carter Center...

http://www.cartercenter.org/peace/democracy/observed.html

[Stevepol]

14. Carter has often been asked to oversee US elections, but he has refused. Why?

Because the US has such a crappy, unverifiable election system. How can you monitor or evaluate an election the results of which you either cannot verify or you don't verify even though you have the potential to do so? The Repubs, meanwhile, would never let Carter have his way and audit any results. That would be trespassing on states rights for one thing. Kris Kobach here in Kansas touted his use of touch screens that had a paper print-out of the vote that could be used to verify the vote, but so far as I know, he has never permitted anybody to use these print-outs to audit any state-wide results. Beth Clarkson's attempt to check the paper to try to understand some odd statistical anomalies that exist around the country is the most recent example of his duplicity and hypocrisy.

In US general elections now, the exit polls almost never square with the alleged "results." People don't know this for two reasons: first, if the polls turn out differently from the alleged vote count, polling companies merely adjust the polls to account for the difference by appealing to the theory of the supposed differences between Repubs and Dems in agreeing to take part in the polls. And second, the Repub "tilt" has become so endemic to American elections that the original polls are always adjusted toward the Repubs because of this spurious idea that Repubs are less likely to take part in the poll.

Carter wants no part of monitoring American elections, and I don't blame him.

[Dont call me Shirley]

16. Kobach, what a scourge on democracy. I would be in constant rage if I still lived in Kansas!

No doubt there's plenty of Kennedy style threats upon Carter if he even dares monitor our elections.

[billhicks76]

21. Clintons And Bushes Want No Reform

And they have both always opposed auditing both electronic voting machines and even worse the electronic tabulators that aggregate the voting machine counts. As Stalin said, elections aren't determined by who votes but by who counts the votes.

[libdem4life]

82. Perhaps our monitors should come from Central and South America.

They have been well-trained and have no partisan preference.

[Dont call me Shirley]

102. Good idea. It's time for our neighbors to come help!

[Warpy]

32. With an 18% gap, that is highly unlikely

It is very likely that a lot of people got discouraged and left and others who had to vote on provisional ballots won't get counted.

This was such an enormous clusterfuck that it needs to be investigated by someone outside that corrupt state.

[Dont call me Shirley]

40. Sanderoff has already called NM for Hilary. Just imagine shenanigans that are going to occur here.

[litlbilly]

90. according to all the exit polls he won. Only Ohio he was supposed to lose but only by a couple, and

instead lost by a lot. Something wrong that the exit polls are so wrong since they are usually and should be right on the money 99.9% of the time.

[SusanCalvin]

96. Yep. That's what exit polls are supposed to be for. nt

[Dont call me Shirley]

100. And MO and IL and MA.

[Ptah]

3. It's my understanding this was possible because of the Supreme Court erasing the Voting Rights Act

[Mr.Bill]

4. If the Chairman of the state House Elections Committee

didn't know that Maricopa was only going to have 60 polling stations open or knew and didn't take action before the election then he should be fired.

[LiberalFighter]

11. State legislators don't oversee elections.

And there wouldn't be much they could do about it after the fact.

If I understand how they do it in Arizona it appears that the County Recorder in each county make the decisions. That is wrong. It should be an election board made up of multiple people from opposing parties.

[Mr.Bill]

13. Okay, thanks for the info.

It just seemed logical to me that something called the House Elections Committee would have something to do with, or at least be aware of the mechanism surrounding elections. Precisely what do they do? Besides look into election disasters after they happen.

[LiberalFighter]

56. Create laws.

Sometimes base on what has happened in the past. If you are referring to the House in Congress, they don't have any authority in oversight of elections. After the Voters Rights law was stripped states have a lot more freedom to do what they want. The Justice Dept did have more authority in the past where some states were required to receive clearance for any changes in the election laws.

The problem with elections is that there are 50 states, D.C. and the territories each with their own election laws. Congress can't tell them what to do for the most part. At least not regarding elections that are not federal. Even then it is not complete. Here in Indiana candidates for any federal office must have 500 valid voter signatures from each of the congressional districts. Other states have different requirements or no requirements.

If you are referring to the state legislature they don't do much except create laws too. Here in Indiana at least most issues are reviewed by either the county election board or the State Election Division depending on the office involved. But nothing is clear. We just had a candidate for U.S. Senate fail to receive the necessary 500 signatures in every district. But the Election Division was split 2-2 which keeps him on the ballot. Even though they claim to have enough signatures they now want to change the law so they need fewer than 500 signatures. Despite the fact that it has been the law since about 1986 when Indiana had 10 districts instead of 9 we have now. And there are more voters in each district then there was in 1986. So it should be easier.

[Mr.Bill]

57. But don't you think that state legislative office holders

should have at least been aware of what was happening in Maricopa County and taken some pre-emptive action? Is it possible that not one constituent in that entire county didn't notify them of what was happening?

If they had any prior knowledge and had the legislative power to do something about it, they bear some of the blame. Yes. I'm sure they were mostly Republicans and wouldn't do anything to stop voter suppression, but that only make them guilty of partisanship. It does not absolve them of blame. The very name of their committee implies they regulate through legislation the election process.

I know if I was running against any of them I would surely be campaigning on this issue. I'm just tired of hearing about blatant voter suppression after the election is over as if no one noticed it beforehand.

[LiberalFighter]

58. If there is a process in state law to revoke an action sure.

But usually there isn't any recourse that can happen until after an election. Even then they will use trickery to either delay or kill it.

They create the laws to give them an advantage. It gets easier when they have a majority, especially a super majority.

[Mr.Bill]

99. The teaser at the beginning if Chris Hayes' show just now

says he's going to interview the woman responsible for this disaster. I assume she's a county official from Maricopa. Should be interesting.

[Babel_17]

6. Please K&R this

Voting is fundamental to our cohesion as a society.

[pangaia]

35. IF she and the media and corporate fuck heads DO manage to steal the nomination,

I will not have to hold me nose and vote for her.

i live in NY.

[Samantha]

41. I am with you

I can't stand to look at her or hear her voice. I feel like I am reliving Election 2000 with Hillary in the role of George W. Bush. I was so appalled at the theft of that election but I now feel this is the same thing with my own party pulling dirty tricks. And what would the head of the party (DWS) do about it? Nothing. She probably is the one who put the fix in. But now, when Hillary comes on the set, I immediately switch the channel or turn the television off. If my back is to the set and I suddenly hear her voice, I cannot hit mute quickly enough. The only time I have had such a visceral reaction like this, as I suggested above, was to George W. Bush*. The way I got through those 8 years was by banning him and FOX news from my house.

I just wanted you to know you are alone in your feelings.

Sam

[Samantha]

74. I think it is good we talk about our feelings on this subject

Political therapy restores one's soul at times when deep excrement is knee high. Somebody has got to help you wade through it.

Sam

[ChiciB1]

47. Always Supported Bernie, But Your Comments Fits Mine Precisely...

Especially the voice! Sure Bernie talks loudly at times but his voice doesn't grate on your nerves. And, Bernie does have a softer voice when he's not giving his "full of true Beliefs" speeches. Hillary has always affected me that way. But all that I've known about her over the years is WHY I CAN'T support her.

She's simply not credible and I have a REAL FEAR as to what she may actually do if elected. Trust needs to be earned and she's been around a VERY LONG time. I've never even warmed up to her much less like her.

And her laugh is... are there words????

[mountain grammy]

12. This needs to be investigated, but quick

serious voter suppression going on here, and it'll kill us in the general. Not big hopes for winning Arizona, but it should be fair.

[Cobalt Violet]

15. sour grapes!

At least that's what the Hillary supports here have been saying all damn day.

[billhicks76]

23. We Will Turn Into Wine

And not the whining Clintonites do when we ask for integrity in the process. They are becoming just like her. Yikes. It's contagious just like with Trump running off on his followers.

[Firebrand Gary]

17. Kicked and recommended

[Gungnir]

18. Election fraud, not voter fraud. Important distiction. n/t

[emmadoggy]

79. Thank you, I was just going to post the same thing.

VERY important distinction!!

[Duckfan]

20. Should we do a petition to DOJ?

Perhaps if enough people raised hell they might get off their duffs and do something.

I'm posting contact info too.

Correspondence to the Department, including the Attorney General, may be sent to:

U.S. Department of Justice
950 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW
Washington, DC 20530-0001

The Department may be contacted by phone at the following:

Department Comment Line: 202-353-1555
Department of Justice Main Switchboard: 202-514-2000

Department of Justice components may also be contacted directly. Find their information on the Component Contact Information page.

[Duppers]

66. Here...

https://petitions.whitehouse.gov/petition/investigate-voter-fraud-and-voter-suppression-arizona-3222016-democratic-party

[sarge43]

68. Done and thank you, Duppers n/t

[Duppers]

69. Most welcome, sarge43.

[PeoViejo]

22. Just a demonstration on how the Family runs elections in other countries

..coming to your Precinct soon.

[billhicks76]

26. Rigged System. People Have No Faith In It

Whether it's elections, the courts, sports, religion or the media. That's why Hillary must lose and Bernie must rise.

[fun n serious]

27. Everything is Hillary's fault.

[billhicks76]

60. Can You Read???

People have lost faith in all our major institutions. No one said its Hillarys fault. But she is part of the problem. She did her part to sell out long ago and is a part of those established institutions which people are rejecting because they are waking up. They are waking up quicker because we communicate more quickly now. You can pretend all you want but it won't change a thing...Hillary is not only passé, she will do her part to make it worse. Or do you really think all these people are rebelling for no reason? It's just the beginning. Even if she wins and then beats Trump all this fervor will still get directed her way because she ain't changing anything.

[Gene Debs]

28. I wouldn't hold my breath waiting for the Obama Justice Department to do anything.

[fun n serious]

29. Why wouldn't he?

This is voter suppression of all dems in AZ. AZ does this every year

[ChiciB1]

48. I Live In Florida... Just As Bad, But People Have Adjusted To It By Now! n/t

[fun n serious]

49. People should not have to adjust to it.

It's all a pitiful shame.

[Warpy]

30. There oughta be a LAW?

Republicans think they're above any of the laws of this country, especially if they're religious right.

Now if they put a few teeth in the laws they have (tampering with voting is treason), maybe something would change. After the first few hangings, even the pious would have second thoughts about putting their precious butts on the line for an early meeting with the god they all tell us at great length they love so much.

[SunSeeker]

54. There used to be a law, but SCOTUS gutted it.

Bullshit like cutting the number of polling places by 70%, impacting predominantly Latino areas much more heavily than white rural areas, would have never passed muster under the Voting Rights Act. But the GOP gets away with thus shit now because the Supreme Court's right wing cabal gutted the Voting Rights Act in another one of their hideous 5-4 rulings.

[SheilaT]

31. I lived in Phoenix for all of four years,

1983-1987. Voting there could be an exercise in frustration. I had the polling place moved with no notification. I first encountered a butterfly ballot there, and I was totally enraged, because with that sort of ballot it is pretty much impossible to double-check yourself to make sure you've voted as you intended.

Every single time when you hear these stories, it's in states or counties or precincts that are Republican dominated. While Democrats are far from perfect, at least we are not as inclined to try to suppress turnout and voting. As it is, our entire registration system can be difficult and confusing. I did not vote the first time I was old enough mainly because I felt intimidated by the registering process. Fortunately, I got over that, and have always registered and always voted since then, despite frequent moves to a different state.

I will say this: Back in my younger days the residency requirement to be able to vote was often one year. Fortunately, that's gone away, but too many states require a registration far too in advance of the election day. We should have a federal law that allows same day registration everywhere. The first place I encountered that was in Minnesota, and not only did we drag a not-yet-registered friend to the polls on election day, but that state has a notoriously open and honest system, even when they collectively elect clowns like Jesse Ventura.

[Equinox Moon]

33. Glad to hear political response and action

This voting mess needs to be fixed before AZ has anymore elections. Period!

America should not be having any messy elections - ever.

[appalachiablue]

34. K & R. Corruption has to end..

[bbgrunt]

36. K and R!

[PADemD]

38. Take Maricopa County to court with a class action lawsuit.

That will assure faster results than getting 100,000 signatures on any White House petition and investigation by the DOJ, and it will force discovery.

Arizona should be forced to void the election and hold another primary on June 7 after they have straightened out the voter registrations and set up sufficient polling places.

The only cure for this is to make them pay for a do-over.

[blackspade]

44. I agree, but it won't happen

There is too much riding on the success of this operation.

[Kittycat]

50. +1000

[blackspade]

43. How would this not concern all Democrats?

I'm glad at least one of our candidates has spoken out about it!

[LonePirate]

51. We all need to be concerned as they will pull this same crap in November.

[BeanMusical]

45. Kick and R

[suffragette]

46. Glad to see that the voices being raised are forcing action

This needs to be addressed and changed.

Voters should be valued, not disenfranchised.

[SunSeeker]

53. The Republicans in AZ slashed polling places from over 200 to just 60.

Last edited Thu Mar 24, 2016, 01:54 PM - Edit history (1)

They got away with it because the Right Wing majority on SCOTUS voted to gut the Voting Rights Act in another one of their infamous 5-4 decisions.

Inadequate polling places surely hurt Hillary more than it hurt Bernie, since the most impacted areas were in and around Phoenix and heavily Latino areas, which are voters who favor Hillary by a large margin. It is no coincidence that those are the areas most likely to vote Dem in the GE. The Republicans knew that when they pulled thus scheme. That is why they did it.

Yes, we should be mad and we sure as hell should get it fixed ASAP--certainly BEFORE the November general election.

What is sickening is all the Sanders supporters in thus thread, and indeed all over DU, who reserve their anger for and blame the victim of this scheme (Hillary), rather than the perpetrators (the GOP).

We should be united against the Republicans on this, not use it is a dishonest pretext to attack Hillary.

[rockfordfile]

61. I agree

[Uncle Joe]

62. Kicked and recommended.

Thanks for the thread, w4rma.

[zentrum]

64. Hope it happens fast.

[lonestarnot]

65. Damn crazy assed voters lining up like that should all be arrested according to Purcell.

[scarletlib]

71. Blame local voting officials and co-conspirators in the republican administration

I doubt that either Bernie or Hillary has much say so to a state controlled by Republicans from pretty much top to bottom. I am sure voters left in long lines were both Bernie and Hillary voters.

[libdem4life]

83. Then they should both respond in kind. n/t

[Lorien]

84. It's not just about "long waits"; it's about the MSM calling it based on a tiny

handful of votes, calling it for candidates who were NOT winning exit polls (Bernie and Cruz were winning those), massive illegal voter registration "flips", with thousands of long time Democratic voters having their registration flipped to that of another party, and multiple bomb threats at different polling locations. Add to that the same attempts to "flip" voter's registrations in NY, CA, PA and MD, and you have full blown election fraud taking place.

[Thunderbeast]

85. This fraud has a solution

Excuse my Oregon Biases here.

We don't have mile-long queues for voting machines at polling places.....because we have neither. Oregon's mail elections do not create the context for these kinds of mischief. Ballots are received at the elections office either from US mail or official ballot drop sites. EACH ballot is enclosed in a secrecy envelope that is signed by the voter. Each signature is compared to the registration signature. The ballots are scanned and tabulated, and all paper ballots are retained providing an audit trail. In nearly 20 years of exclusive vote by mail, I can not recall a single reported instance of election fraud or voter coercion reported in our state.

A second leg to expanding voter participation is the recently enacted "motor-voter" law. You get a driver's license from the DMV; They register you to vote. You have the choice of party affiliation or non-affiliation. You also can opt out of registration using a simple process.

For the life of me, I don't know why voter access issues in Ohio and other states is a corrupt scandal at every election. Why do we let the voting machine technology expose our democracy to the opportunity for fraud and abuse? The simple answer is that the corrupted elections officials and voting machine manufacturers wouldn't have it any other way.

[chapdrum]

88. Your ultimate sentence says it all.

At least we have our democracy to fall back on.

[chapdrum]

87. The Repugs dislike HRC but

they really dislike Sanders.

It's quite likely that the HRC machine (perhaps w/out her knowledge) consulted with the Repug experts
in AZ, as to how to minimize likely Sanders voters.

With the stakes this high...

And yes, she is so far silent on the issue.

[Sunlei]

94. Arizona Counties=one polling loc per 2,500 voters. Maricopa County= one location per 21,000 voters.

I found the polling place numbers. Maricopa County had one site per every 21,000 voters.

Most counties surveyed by The Arizona Republic had enough polling places to average 2,500 or fewer eligible voters per polling site. Maricopa County had only one site per every 21,000 voters.


No wonder people were still waiting in line, in the late night darkness at 11PM.

[litlbilly]

95. With all you guys yelling Hillary doesnt cheat, how about this then?

http://www.democraticunderground.com/12511568692

Sure looks like something the RWNJ's would pull. Sorry but its true

[lordsummerisle]

98. k&r n/t