[Vision2020] Democrats fear GOP will turn away foreclosed voters

[lfalen]

residency changes may be a valid reason to challenge a ballot if  a new residence is given. If a person has been foreclosed on but sill lives in the foreclosed on home it should not be. The goal  should be to make sure a person does not vote more than once ,but should be guaranteed the right to vote once.
Roger
-----Original message-----
From: Chasuk chasuk at gmail.com
Date: Thu, 16 Oct 2008 16:04:35 -0700
To: Vision2020 vision2020 at moscow.com
Subject: [Vision2020] Democrats fear GOP will turn away foreclosed voters

> http://www.indystar.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20081003/NEWS0502/810030478/1008/LOCAL19
> 
> GOP won't rule out using residency change to challenge a ballot
> 
> By Brendan O'Shaughnessy and Heather Gillers
> brendan.oshaughnessy at indystar.com
> 
> Kim Stewart wasn't going to let the foreclosure of her family's
> residence prevent her from voting.
> 
> The Northeastside woman went to a voter registration drive last week
> and called Marion County's 327-VOTE hotline to confirm that her
> paperwork was in order.
> 
> "I even double-checked and called to make sure I wouldn't have a
> problem voting," Stewart said.
> 
> Democratic Party and county election officials want to make sure that
> the high number of foreclosures in Marion County won't mean that
> people such as Stewart, already down on their luck, lose their vote,
> too.
> 
> Democrats are concerned that Republican officials in Marion County and
> elsewhere might use home foreclosure lists as a way to challenge the
> residency of voters at the polls. The campaign of presidential
> candidate Barack Obama filed a lawsuit to keep the Michigan GOP from
> doing just that.
> 
> County GOP Chairman Tom John said foreclosure opens the door to a
> residency challenge, but he said his party has no plans to pursue such
> challenges. However, he wouldn't rule it out.
> 
> "We might end up challenging on that," he said. "It's entirely
> possible. I think it would be a solid basis for asking someone to vote
> provisionally."
> 
> Election officials disagreed.
> 
> Marion County Clerk Beth White said she does not believe foreclosure
> is a valid reason for a challenge.
> 
> "A notice of foreclosure is not legal proof that someone doesn't live
> in their home," White said. "I think this tactic can be used to
> embarrass or intimidate voters or slow down the process."
> 
> She said poll workers are being trained on registration law and how to
> keep voting lines moving even if there are challenges.
> 
> Provisional votes are ballots cast by people who don't have proper ID
> or whose names aren't in poll books. Such ballots are counted after
> the election, during the vote certification process, and are subject
> to review for validity by the local election board.
> 
> But even a provisional ballot might not be necessary for someone whose
> home has been foreclosed.
> 
> Indiana and most other states have a so-called "fail-safe" provision
> that allows residents to return to their old precinct to vote as long
> as they still live in the same county and congressional district.
> Those voters can fill out an affidavit and cast a regular ballot.
> 
> On the other hand, people who have moved to a new country or
> congressional district must have updated their registration forms to
> vote.
> 
> White, who is in charge of running elections, said Stewart, 45, did
> the right thing by checking on her registration. Voters have until
> Monday to register or fill out forms for a change in address or name.
> 
> Ed Treacy, chairman of the county Democratic Party, said using
> foreclosures for challenges would "be in line with the historical
> Republican action of trying to repress the vote."
> 
> "They'd be kicking people who are down, and I'm sure they'll do it
> selectively" in heavily Democratic precincts, Treacy said. "Harassing
> voters will backfire because it will fire up our voters."
> 
> He said he plans to have teams of Democratic attorneys ready to push
> back false challenges.
> 
> John said his main goal is to ensure the integrity of the election.
> 
> "Our position is that every person entitled to vote should be
> encouraged to vote," John said. "Anybody whose home is already in
> foreclosure isn't actually living in the home and might not be a valid
> voter."
> 
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