Huge fines restricting new voter applications

[DoYouEverWonder]

7/28/2006

LEE COUNTY: A little over a month away from the primary election, there are local organizations hitting the streets trying to register people to vote. But many organizations are not doing that because of new rules and the possible fines for breaking the rules.

<snip>

The organizations are now being held accountable because of the fraudulent activity that took place in 2004.

"In other areas of the state they found a lot of the groups were not turning the applications in timely. The people were not getting registered because they were turned in after the books closed. They were incomplete. Some of them were fraudulent. So the legislature said that we've got to do something to get it under control," said Harrington.

The new laws state:

* Organizations must now register everyone working day to day operations
* They must submit quarterly reports identifying where and when registration drives were held
* For every application they take, they must account for where it is now

Breaking the law can carry stiff fines. Once you fill out the application, the organization has 10 days to turn it in. If they neglect to turn it in, the fine is $250. If the application is turned in after the set deadline, the fine is $500. If the application is lost altogether, the fine is $5,000 per application.


http://www.nbc-2.com/Articles/readarticle.asp?articleid=8147&z=3&p=


I guess the Repugs figured most new voters would register has DEMS this year and they need to do whatever they can to prevent that from happening.

[ixion]

1. isn't it funny how they come down so hard on this 'fraudulent' activity

but all the other fraudulent activity, like the voting machines and the voter roll purges, et. al., well, that's just a-okay, 'cause Diebold said so.

The hypocrisy is mind boggling.

[DoYouEverWonder]

3. According to the article - the League of Women Voters

have stopped registering voters in FL because they can't take the risk of being fined and going broke has a result.


The fines have done more than hold groups accountable - they have shut some of them down. For example, the League of Women Voters has stopped registering voters all over Florida while they sue the state to have the fines removed.


In the meantime, we still haven't changed the rules for how votes are counted and recounted, so again the Repugs will have the advantage.

[no_hypocrisy]

2. On the other hand, have these regulations been constitutionally

challenged or before an administrative judge to determine whether they are a valid method of curtailing fraud or only "arbitrary and capricious"?

[enough]

4. Even bringing such a case takes money -- another potential "fine"

for those who are thinking of registering voters.

[no_hypocrisy]

5. Maybe a nonprofit organization like the NAACP could fund a lawsuit. n/t

[DoYouEverWonder]

6. The League of Women Voters

is fighting the decision, but valuable time is being lost already.

[hedgehog]

7. Damned if you do, damned if you don't

It seems to me that last time around there was a problem with outfits claiming to register people in malls and such like places, then tossing all the applications from Democrats and independents so only the Republicans actually were registered on Election Day.

[Pokey Anderson]

8. Yeah. It was a Republican outfit.

Tossed voter reg. applications in more than one state.

[Warren Stupidity]

9. Every move they make. Every step they take.

They intend to take away our votes. They will use multiple methods but their goal is clear.