Democrats file suit over GOP voter challenges
By JENNIFER McKEE IR State Bureau
HELENA — Two registered Montana voters and the Montana Democratic Party filed a federal lawsuit this morning seeking to stop state Republicans from challenging registered voters who have recently changed their addresses.
Joseph Breitenbach and Cynthia Anne Greene, both of Missoula, along with the state Democratic party contend the Montana Republican Party’s voter challenge is an effort to suppress voter turnout immediately before a close election, said Caleb Weaver, a Montana spokesman for the Barack Obama presidential campaign, which is helping with the challenge.
“These challenges are a transparent and very likely unsuccessful attempt” to discourage properly registered voters from turning up on Election Day, Weaver told a group of Montana reporters in a conference call this morning.
Specifically, the Montana Republican Party is challenging the address of some 6,000 registered Montana voters who have moved since they last registered to vote. The challenges were in six, heavily-Democratic counties: Missoula, Lewis and Clark, Silver Bow, Deer Lodge, Glacier and Hill.
Republicans have asserted the challenges are about preventing voter fraud.
Voters who are challenged will receive a letter from the county asking them to verify their current address with a notarized statement. The suit names Jacob Eaton, executive director of the Montana Republican Party, Matt Hunsacker, another Montana GOP employee, the state party itself and Secretary of State Brad Johnson as defendants.
The suit specifically asks a federal judge to stop counties from sending out any more letters requesting a notarized proof of address. Weaver said he believed the letters had not gone out in Missoula or Lewis and Clark counties, where many of the challenged voters live.
Joseph Breitenbach and Cynthia Anne Greene, both of Missoula, along with the state Democratic party contend the Montana Republican Party’s voter challenge is an effort to suppress voter turnout immediately before a close election, said Caleb Weaver, a Montana spokesman for the Barack Obama presidential campaign, which is helping with the challenge.
“These challenges are a transparent and very likely unsuccessful attempt” to discourage properly registered voters from turning up on Election Day, Weaver told a group of Montana reporters in a conference call this morning.
Specifically, the Montana Republican Party is challenging the address of some 6,000 registered Montana voters who have moved since they last registered to vote. The challenges were in six, heavily-Democratic counties: Missoula, Lewis and Clark, Silver Bow, Deer Lodge, Glacier and Hill.
Republicans have asserted the challenges are about preventing voter fraud.
Voters who are challenged will receive a letter from the county asking them to verify their current address with a notarized statement. The suit names Jacob Eaton, executive director of the Montana Republican Party, Matt Hunsacker, another Montana GOP employee, the state party itself and Secretary of State Brad Johnson as defendants.
The suit specifically asks a federal judge to stop counties from sending out any more letters requesting a notarized proof of address. Weaver said he believed the letters had not gone out in Missoula or Lewis and Clark counties, where many of the challenged voters live.
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Reader Comments:
skooter wrote on Oct 6, 2008 4:47 PM:
" Swiftboating & dirty tricks...???
Trying to purge democratic voters...?
Blaming everybody but themselves...?
Election day phonebanking?
Smells desperate to me. People should be tired of this and really send a message to these people. "
Trying to purge democratic voters...?
Blaming everybody but themselves...?
Election day phonebanking?
Smells desperate to me. People should be tired of this and really send a message to these people. "
LWir wrote on Oct 6, 2008 2:21 PM:
" By the way, I think Sassyone needs some serious counseling. Seems to have been brainwashed into thinking Obama would start a dictatorship. Bush/Cheney certainly tried and came close. Wonder if McCain/Palin might attempt it, too?? ;o) "
diazo wrote on Oct 6, 2008 2:17 PM:
" sassyone,
This has nothing to do with anybody being able to vote multiple times; not even the Republicans are alleging that. If you haven't filled out a change of address you would have to vote in your former precinct, that's all, and Montana law allows for it. Only now people have to go get a notarized statement to respond to the challenge. The Republicans have targeted only Democratic counties, putting the lie to any claims that they are simply good ol' vigilantes, appointing themselves to police the electorate. That they've chosen to do this right before the election only adds to the proof that they are engaging in voter intimidation, pure and simple. The GOP deserves to pay a heavy political price for engaging in such sleazy tactics.
By the way, you might want to get your Caps Lock key checked; it seems to be stuck. "
This has nothing to do with anybody being able to vote multiple times; not even the Republicans are alleging that. If you haven't filled out a change of address you would have to vote in your former precinct, that's all, and Montana law allows for it. Only now people have to go get a notarized statement to respond to the challenge. The Republicans have targeted only Democratic counties, putting the lie to any claims that they are simply good ol' vigilantes, appointing themselves to police the electorate. That they've chosen to do this right before the election only adds to the proof that they are engaging in voter intimidation, pure and simple. The GOP deserves to pay a heavy political price for engaging in such sleazy tactics.
By the way, you might want to get your Caps Lock key checked; it seems to be stuck. "
LWir wrote on Oct 6, 2008 2:13 PM:
" It's interesting that challenging where a person lives only comes up 1 month before elections. Hmmm. Why not give people more time to respond, if you're well intentioned? I also agree with Ethereal: send the letter to EVERYONE in the state to ensure you have the right information if you're going to do it at all. This should satisfy Sassyone, too.
By the way, I'm sure everyone will "appreciate" having to provide "notarized" proof. That takes extra effort. Many people aren't aware of the fact that they can go to any bank to get notarization for free (however, the catch is usually you have to be a bank member); they may think they need to pay a notary. Sounds like it's a bit unfair to the poor, disabled (house-bound) and/or others who do not know much about notarization. "
By the way, I'm sure everyone will "appreciate" having to provide "notarized" proof. That takes extra effort. Many people aren't aware of the fact that they can go to any bank to get notarization for free (however, the catch is usually you have to be a bank member); they may think they need to pay a notary. Sounds like it's a bit unfair to the poor, disabled (house-bound) and/or others who do not know much about notarization. "
gutshot_again wrote on Oct 6, 2008 2:00 PM:
" Check the national news - Nobama has filed numerous suits all over the country. Gotta wonder about someone who can't even win an election without getting everyone else thrown off the ballot.
Think FL a while back was a fisaco? Wait until you see the lawsuits from the Dem's this time around. "
Think FL a while back was a fisaco? Wait until you see the lawsuits from the Dem's this time around. "
Sassyone wrote on Oct 6, 2008 12:27 PM:
" YES, I THINK ADVOCATING COLLEGE STUDENTS TO COMMITT VOTER FRAUD SO OSAMA, OH I MEAN, OBAMA, WILL WIN THE DICTATORSHIP OF THE COUNTRY FORMERLY KNOWN AS THE UNITED STATES OF AMERIC, IS WRONG. PEOPLE CAN VOTE MULTIPLE TIMES AND IT NEVER GETS CHALLENGED. I COMMEND THE GOP FOR ADVOCATING FOR WHAT IS RIGHT AND CORRECT. "
Ethereal wrote on Oct 6, 2008 11:27 AM:
" If you're going to challenge one, you should have to challenge all. Picking and choosing things like this is not fair. It's either state-wide, or not done at all.
I can't wait until elections are over...this kind of stuff happens every time...and it's old.
If any of the candidates are on the side of the people, they wouldn't make us listen to the same old crap. I think America is tired of it. "
I can't wait until elections are over...this kind of stuff happens every time...and it's old.
If any of the candidates are on the side of the people, they wouldn't make us listen to the same old crap. I think America is tired of it. "
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purple wrote on Oct 6, 2008 7:30 PM:
"slimey move". What was it when gore and kerry filed suit to have military absentee ballots toss?
How many illegal votes were cast, in the Seattle/King County area during washington states last governor's election, in favor of the demcrat candidate? Something like 5,000 wasn't it.
What is it about "fair and honest" elections democrats don't like?
"skooter"
trying to purge democratic voters -- no its more like attempting to prevent voter fraud, something democrats seem to want to not do.
blaming everybody but themselves -- sounds an aweful lot like democrats to me.
election day phonebanking -- why shouldn't they? Afterall, democrats turned it into a form of art.
smells desperate -- it is desperate to me when demcrats would rather allow votes of those not allowed to vote while discarding the votes of our military personnel stationed outside the U.S. "