Voter data mismatches rarely fraud, experts say

[Botany]

Source: Columbus Dispatch

"It's clear the data-quality issue must be addressed before this cross-checking function can be used to ensure reliable voter data," said Nat Robinson of the board's elections division.

Ohio Republicans sued Secretary of State Jennifer Brunner unsuccessfully this fall to force her to give counties a list of an estimated 200,000 mismatches between the state's new voter registrations and government databases.

The GOP also launched a statewide radio ad yesterday accusing Brunner of trying to "conceal election fraud" and directing listeners to a Web site criticizing Brunner and soliciting money for a legal-defense fund.

But based on the experiences in Wisconsin and other states, experts say a large percentage of mismatches are the result of human error and not fraud -- and that the matching process should not be used to disqualify voters.

Read more: http://www.dispatchpolitics.com/live/content/local_news/stories/2008/10/29/copy/fraud29.ART_ART_10-29-08_A4_REBO06D.html?adsec=politics&sid=101

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In other words this ACORN and bad voter stuff was crap.

BTW The Dispatch is very right wing.

[azurnoir]

1. They never what kind of data mismatch

they're talking about here, I suspect it is address mismatches, I have read that Americans move an average of every 3 1/2 years, so it probably happens frequently.

[mcg]

2. The GOP claims guilt without a trial when it is they who are guilty. nt

[Mabus]

3. K&R

It's what we've suspected all along, the real problem is Republican attempts to disenfranchise voters, not people trying to vote multiple times.

[Botany]

4. Bingo there was no there, there

Justin L Smith on the driver's lic.

Justin Luther Smith on the voter rolls

Republican running the vote ... sorry Justin you vote
Provisional Ballot.

[Laelth]

8. "sorry Justin you vote Provisional Ballot," if you're lucky.

Like as not, Justin just doesn't get to vote at all. And of course there's no "there" there. Never was and never expected there would be.

Voter "fraud" is just a distraction to cover the very real threat of "election theft," which has happened and continues to happen in the United States. Time magazine this week had an article by a GOP analyst saying, basically, "Oh, they all do it, just in different ways, and it's no big deal." Typical GOP lie. It is a big deal. One (election theft) is real and has lead to the erosion of democracy in America. The other (voter fraud) is a straw man that has the added benefit (to the GOP) of giving them an excuse to disenfranchise even more voters.

It's disgusting! I want standardized, hand-counted, paper ballots by 2010 for all federal elections and transparent uniform voter registry procedures that are cross-checked by the highest ranking member of the opposite party. If you're a D sec. of state, the R governor has to confirm and sign off on your voter rolls, and vice versa. We cannot stand further erosion of this fundamental right.

The United States is a LIBERAL Country.

:dem:

-Laelth

[LiberalFighter]

5. Human error with both the voter and the clerk handling the registration.

Clerks might have difficulty deciphering the handwriting or they are sloppy when entering the data in their computer.

Also, if the data is not standardized it can be difficult to match. Part of that might be if the the registration office does or does not use the post office standardized address method and the agency they match does the opposite.

Also, if voters forget their date of birth and it doesn't match the other govt agency.

[bitchkitty]

6. Forget their date of birth? n/t

[LiberalFighter]

7. YES... I know cause I work getting workers for the polling sites.

We have to verify that a person is registered to vote and we need DOB to confirm their registration online. If it isn't exact we can't find it. Fortunately, I have another source to check if they provide it differently from what voter registration has on file.

[Overseas]

9. Kick for the vote purging file. Brunner is protecting voters from GOP exact match purging.

Some Republicans are trying to push an EXACT MATCH system, whereby if I have my drivers' license with a middle initial and registered to vote without it, I would be purged from the rolls because I was not an exact match.

I really appreciate Brunner's efforts to RESIST REPUBLICAN BULLYING and protect her citizens' right to vote.