THIS... Has To Be Fixed - 'Voter Fraud Penalties Minimal'

[WillyT]

Voter Fraud Penalties Minimal

Officials wave threat of large fines, but actual sentences are ultimately small.

<snip>

Florida has spent millions in unsuccessful attempts to remove felons from voter rolls, and it waves a big stick at those who vote illegally: up to five years in prison and $5,000 in fines.

Yet felons who vote have little to fear. Since the 1970s, fewer than 40 people have been convicted of casting an illegal vote, and only two have been sentenced to prison. Most receive probation for voting as felons, nonresidents or noncitizens.

While prosecutors and elections officers say state records do not reflect all voter fraud cases because many of them go through pretrial intervention programs that wipe records clean, they agree voter fraud exists in much larger numbers.

It is generally not considered a serious crime or one that merits a lot of attention. Voter fraud is largely ignored unless an election is questioned, someone complains or a voter is investigated on other charges.

<snip>

Link: http://www.theledger.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20040719/NEWS/407190352/1004

I'm Thinkin... If convicted, 5 years in Federal Penitentiary, and a $15,000 fine. For a FIRST offense!

:mad:

[LiberalBushFan]

1. I'm not so worried about felons votings

as I doubt it happens all that much. I'm worried about those who should have been convicted of felonies by now causing there to be votes casts by ghosts.

[WillyT]

2. I'm Not Talking About Felons Trying To Vote Either...

I'm talking about ANYBODY messing with registration and voting in any way that disenfranchises others, should be spending time in prison.

I used to think that this was a victim-less crime. I do not think that any longer.

Ask the parents of the dead and wounded in Iraq, if vote tampering is non-violent and victim-less!

:mad: