National Review notices something missing from the recent New York Times article headlined “Texas’ Stringent Voter ID Law Makes a Dent at the Polls” – the “dent,” or any other “detrimental effects of Texas’ new voter-ID law at this week’s polls.” Following a fanciful headline, and stories of a handful of voter ID “victims” who in fact cast regular ballots, the Times proceeds to bury the lede: Texas’s secretary of state, who might know something about all this, is quoted belatedly as follows: “This was our first statewide election with a photo ID requirement in place, and it was smooth, secure and successful.” The “dent” never does materialize, in the story or at the polls.
Dallas Democrat surprised he wasn’t “suppressed” by Voter ID
The Republicans have passed a law against stealing Twinkies, and our defense is going to be that we were only stealing Ding-Dongs? A Texas voter finds voter ID is not a “conspiracy” to “suppress” his vote after all, but a fair way to ensure the legitimacy of the vote: What a letdown. They allowed me to vote… I was hoping for a fight. In fact that’s why I went… All this year the consistent narrative for the Texas voter photo I.D. law has been that photo I.D. is a Republican conspiracy to keep Democrats like me from voting. August personages of the political realm, like Dallas Congresswoman Eddie Bernice Johnson, have declared that vote fraud is nonexistent in Texas. They say the whole photo I.D. thing is aimed solely at vote suppression. That’s what I wanted them to do. Suppress me. I wanted to be suppressed so I could express my ire… On the other hand, I always get a little shiver when somebody like Eddie Bernice Johnson says there’s no such thing as vote fraud in Texas. I seem to remember writing a lot of stories myself about vote fraud in Dallas in the past, mostly in the part of town that falls within Congresswoman Johnson’s district… Had the photo I.D. requirements been in effect back then, they would not have touched the kind of fraud I saw, all of which involved mail-in ballots rather than voters showing up at the polls to vote… But does that make it a law without any legitimate reason for being? … The Republicans have passed a law against stealing Twinkies, and our defense is going to be that we were only stealing Ding-Dongs? Sanctity of the ballot works two ways, it seems to me. The right to exercise the franchise is sacred, and we ought to do everything we can to enable and encourage people to do it. But if the vote is sacred, then it also seems fair to say it shouldn’t be fake. I don’t believe there can be fake sacred votes. So is it not also important to do what we can to give everybody a certain comfort level where the legitimacy of the vote is concerned?
“Biggest Winner of Election Day? Voter ID Laws”
“With robust early voting forecasting a strong turnout, the roll-out of Texas’ new law requiring voters to present a photo ID appeared to be going as smooth as silk Tuesday.” Link.
Whig Elected in Philly
Virginia Election Far From Over
I spent yesterday working on the canvass in the Virginia election (something that those who write about election law ought to try sometime so as to get a real world experience of the process).
The process isn’t pretty. For example, voters who completed provisional ballot forms shoved their ballots into the optical scanners to be counted as regular ballots improperly. Other voters who were not registered to vote were nevertheless allowed to vote a regular ballot. And that was information that merely came across my desk at the canvass, much less the hundreds of other desks and canvasses occurring across the Commonwealth of Virginia.
With the election for Attorney General showing a narrow lead for Republican Mark Obenshain, expect the Democrats to pounce and aggressively look for a way to snatch victory out of defeat.
Details on North Carolina Appearances Next Week
I am speaking in Raleigh and Wake Forest Law School next week November 12, and CLE credit is available. The topic will be the new North Carolina election laws, Voter ID and the DOJ attack on them.
The Raleigh event is at the Cardinal Club at noon and details and registration can be found here. It is sponsored by the Triangle Lawyers Chapter of the Federalist Society.
The Wake Forest Law event is sponsored by the Piedmont Triad Lawyers Chapter and details and registration can be found here. The reception starts at 6pm and the event is at 7pm. Again, one credit of CLE is available.
“Voter Fraud? Over 1,000 Broward County Voters Claim to Live at Florida UPS Stores”
As Florida’s efforts to comply with NVRA-mandated voter roll maintenance continue to be demonized as “disenfranchisement,” Media Trackers reports hundreds of people are illegally registered and voting in just one Florida county: More than 1,000 registered voters in Broward County unlawfully listed United Parcel Service (UPS) boxes as the address where they live, official records show… 4613 North University Drive is the address of UPS Store #3748, located at the Pine Ridge Square shopping center. Forty-six people are registered to vote at this address. More than half of them voted last November. Also in Coral Springs, there are 20 active voters registered at UPS Store #3996 on Coral Ridge Drive. Another Coral Springs UPS Store has 40 active voters. A review of voter records show the problem exists at UPS Stores throughout Broward County. Sixty-three active voters are registered at a UPS Store in Hollywood. Sixty-eight active voters are registered to vote at the UPS Store in Fort Lauderdale. The Hallandale Beach UPS Store has 115 registered voters.
“Attorney general cliffhanger puts VA provisional ballots to test Friday”
“True the Vote, an election watchdog group, said it is “keeping a close eye on counties like Chesterfield that refused to follow (state) guidelines and remove duplicate voter registrations ahead of the election.” Chesterfield, south of Richmond, was among the counties where the Republican ticket noticeably underperformed, compared with 2009. “Some jurisdictions stated they would run the removal program post-election … perhaps in January,” said TTV spokesman Logan Churchwell. “We’ll keep them to their word as we’ve already given statutory notice.”
VA Watchdog
“Voter ID has nothing to do with racism”
Blue Ridge Now.
Only “35% Think U.S. Elections Are Fair”
Rasmussen reports on the dismal level of public confidence in our elections.