Slog
News & ArtsFriday, November 2, 2012
Election King County Warns that GOP Is Trying to Collect Ballots
Posted by Dominic Holden on Fri, Nov 2, 2012 at 4:07 PM
King County Elections has posted an announcement on its home page about the GOP trying to collect ballots, and saying, basically, don't give them your ballot. "We recommend that voters return ballots to an official King County Elections ballot drop-off location or through the US Postal Service," the website advises. In other words, don't trust the GOP.
County elections spokeswoman Kim van Ekstrom explains they found out about the GOP trying to collect ballots after they received "a call to our phone bank, and we want voters to know we are aware of this activity." Thanks to Janis for the tip.
1
That's so unexpected! I thought the GOP were trying to stamp out voter fraud. What could possibly be going on?!
3
Although I didn't need it, this is the last bit of evidence I needed to be 100% convinced that Republicans are pieces of shit.
5
It could have something to do with yesterday's email from King Co GOP:
URGENT:
PAID BALLOT RETRIEVAL NEED
The KCGOP has an urgent need for PAID get-out-the-vote (GOTV) Canvassers through Election Day. Temporary workers will work in teams to assist voters to return their ballots in locations throughout King County.
Workday: 10am-8pm through Nov 6th
Pay: $20/hour
Start: Immediateley
Contact: King County GOP 425-990-0404 or by email
Please forward this information along to interested Republicans.
URGENT:
PAID BALLOT RETRIEVAL NEED
The KCGOP has an urgent need for PAID get-out-the-vote (GOTV) Canvassers through Election Day. Temporary workers will work in teams to assist voters to return their ballots in locations throughout King County.
Workday: 10am-8pm through Nov 6th
Pay: $20/hour
Start: Immediateley
Contact: King County GOP 425-990-0404 or by email
Please forward this information along to interested Republicans.
8
@7 It's not illegal to ask someone to give you their ballot. But is is IDIOTIC to take anyone up on the offer.
12
Methinks the reason they pushed so hard on "voter fraud" this year was in a lame attempt to build plausible deniability for all the voter fraud they intended to commit. Seems it's just rampant amongst their kind.
14
It is illegal to "hinder" someone from voting through menace, force, threat, or unlawful means. I would argue offering to mail, but instead stealing a ballot would fall under this statute.
http://apps.leg.wa.gov/rcw/default.aspx?…
It is illegal to examine secret ballots so if it could be shown that somebody was collecting ballots and examining them to see what candidates were selected then that might be prosecutable.
http://apps.leg.wa.gov/rcw/default.aspx?…
This law might also be appropriate if the home (or wherever ballots are being collected) is considered a "polling place" due to our all mail-in election.
http://apps.leg.wa.gov/rcw/default.aspx?…
The problem is of course proving that they stole your ballot and that it was never delivered.
http://apps.leg.wa.gov/rcw/default.aspx?…
It is illegal to examine secret ballots so if it could be shown that somebody was collecting ballots and examining them to see what candidates were selected then that might be prosecutable.
http://apps.leg.wa.gov/rcw/default.aspx?…
This law might also be appropriate if the home (or wherever ballots are being collected) is considered a "polling place" due to our all mail-in election.
http://apps.leg.wa.gov/rcw/default.aspx?…
The problem is of course proving that they stole your ballot and that it was never delivered.
16
Assuming the GOP isn't going to destroy ballots, and would actually deliver them, how is this not a legitimate GOTV campaign?
Destroying King County votes is statistically in their favor, but probably not considering they are probably calling their existing phone bank of supposed supporters.
Destroying King County votes is statistically in their favor, but probably not considering they are probably calling their existing phone bank of supposed supporters.
17
Track your ballot online! Make sure your vote was counted just by entering your name and birthdate. http://info.kingcounty.gov/elections/Bal…
19
Is that shitbag vote suppressor Lori Sotelo involved again, or did she do us all a favor and die a painful gonnorheic death trying to give birth to a rape baby?
20
Sorry to be obtuse, but didn't the Stranger just have this really cool GOTV election party where they... collected ballots? Like, I even gave you guys my ballot(!!)
How is the GOP effort any different? What am I not getting here?
How is the GOP effort any different? What am I not getting here?
21
@16
They surely have every intention of delivering unaltered ballots, but can they help it if somebody breaks into the vehicle where the ballots are safely stored and steals all the envelopes with the names of registered Democrats?
They surely have every intention of delivering unaltered ballots, but can they help it if somebody breaks into the vehicle where the ballots are safely stored and steals all the envelopes with the names of registered Democrats?
22
Why would the King County Republicans - or ANY political organization for that matter - need to collect ballots in the first place? The USPS already guarantees delivery, even if no postage is attached, and so long as the ballot is post marked by November 6th, King County Elections Bureau is obligated to count it.
Methinks me smells a rat here...
Methinks me smells a rat here...
23
Eric Arrr, I would say that one difference is that a specific party organization is doing the ballot collection, which is... questionable at best. The Stranger, though it has pretty well-known views, is not an actual political party.
The Democrats doing this would also be questionable.
It doesn't bother me if the GOP just does "Hey, are you a Republican who hasn't mailed in your ballot? I will help you!" To me, that's just GOTV, just like driving people to the polling places used to be. But if the GOP is offering to collect EVERYONE'S ballots, it's not cool, because they have a vested interest in throwing away the ballots of people who disagree with them.
The Democrats doing this would also be questionable.
It doesn't bother me if the GOP just does "Hey, are you a Republican who hasn't mailed in your ballot? I will help you!" To me, that's just GOTV, just like driving people to the polling places used to be. But if the GOP is offering to collect EVERYONE'S ballots, it's not cool, because they have a vested interest in throwing away the ballots of people who disagree with them.
24
"Victory Vans" with GOP markings are in place at the Fred Meyer in Covington collecting ballots. Charming.
25
I would suspect that, if these vote collectors are properly identifying themselves as state GOP'ers, the only folks giving them ballots would be GOP voters. In which case, no harm no foul.
If there is no proper ID, then this is fishy.
If there is no proper ID, then this is fishy.
26
I have been canvassing my King County turf with Organize For America and have been told from the start what we may and may not do.
My current script reads something like, Did you get your ballot, Do you plan to vote, do you know you can mail or take to a drop box (there is the location closest to them on my sheet, I optionally ask if they would share if they either Support the President or Other or Neither. Some decline, but most share.
I thank them, they often thank me..... My experience.
Please vote America!
My current script reads something like, Did you get your ballot, Do you plan to vote, do you know you can mail or take to a drop box (there is the location closest to them on my sheet, I optionally ask if they would share if they either Support the President or Other or Neither. Some decline, but most share.
I thank them, they often thank me..... My experience.
Please vote America!
27
Given GOP vote suppression tactics in use in various states, this is alarming. I can't see how it is worth time and effort for them, but there are wackjobs who aren't calculating by rational criteria.
The entire GOP has become a giant wackjob universe. Certainly don't let them handle anything you value, especially your vote.
The entire GOP has become a giant wackjob universe. Certainly don't let them handle anything you value, especially your vote.
28
Details WERE on
http://www.kcgop.org/ get-involved/gop-victory-van-locations/ , until the KCGOP took the site down.
http://www.kcgop.org/ get-involved/gop-victory-van-locations/ , until the KCGOP took the site down.
29
Wow, what a reaction. Are your readers aware the Democrats and their allies have been doing this for the past few elections (since we went to all mail ballots)? Personally, I recommend you mail or deliver your own ballot, but don't blame the GOP for finally catching up with the Democrat turnout effort.
32
It's true that the post office will deliver ballots without postage, but it's not very widely known. I'd like to think that this "service" is just a new version of the old electioneering strategy of offering to give people a ride to their polling place (and indeed many of the people involved may have that good intention). We're still pretty inexperienced with all-mail-in elections (the dearth of ballot drop boxes in many parts of town are just one example of that) -- we need to keep working to make sure everyone is represented.
33
Dominic, please bring this post of yours to Goldy's attention and then ask him if the guy who emailed him a couple of weeks back about zip-code-based ballot-culling by political operatives was being wildly paranoid...
34
@28: http://www.kcgop.org/get-involved/gop-vi…">http://liveweb.archive.org/http://www.kc…
You're welcome.
You're welcome.
35
Let's try that again:
http://www.kcgop.org/get-involved/gop-victory-van-locations/">http://liveweb.archive.org/http://www.kc…
http://www.kcgop.org/get-involved/gop-victory-van-locations/">http://liveweb.archive.org/http://www.kc…
36
WTF!?! OK, the original address is working again:
http://www.kcgop.org/get-involved/gop-vi…
Do NOT give your ballot to some stranger in a van!
http://www.kcgop.org/get-involved/gop-vi…
Do NOT give your ballot to some stranger in a van!
37
Just because they say there are the GOP? What a bunch of dumb fucks... King County and you that believe this should be kicked in your collective, ignorant and dishonest ass's.
39
rob mckennas response to those people who were manipulated into giving their vote to these fraudsters: GET A JOB.
40
Wow. Repubs are getting desperate. What will they do in 2016 when the demographics are even more unfavorable for them?
41
And the response from Republican Secretary of State Sam Reed and Tea Party candidate Kim Wyman's response to this reckless ballot tampering by King County Republican is? Drum roll please.... NOTHING. NADA. UTTER, COMPLETE SILENCE. You'd think that a Secretary of State would take the warning notice of King County Elections home page seriously and issue a warning to voters (given that, you know, we're like a third of the voters in the state). But what do you know? It turns out that when it's the GOP doing voter fraud (which is almost always the case), then mum's the word. Shame on you, Republicans. Oh yeah, and stop filling in our ballots illegally!
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