War at the Florida precincts: Republicans using felon lists to challenge

[HeldsBelds]

http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/local/southflorida/sfl-1029votecharges,0,4922520.story?coll=sfla-home-headlines

State Republican leaders say they are protecting the election process by compiling a list of voters whom they say are improperly registered and should not be allowed to cast ballots Tuesday. The list was based on a database of felons that state officials discarded in July because it was riddled with flaws, but GOP officials said they updated it.

``I presume they will use it as a basis for challenges,'' said Howard Simon, the executive director of the American Civil Liberties Union in Florida. ``And when they're using a list that's very likely inaccurate for challenges, I think we're in for hand-to-hand combat at the precincts.''

Roberts stressed the need to keep voting lines moving and to offer provisional ballots when in doubt, even with ex-felons singled out by Republicans. Florida laws bars voting by convicted felons unless they have petitioned to have that right restored.

[Teaser]

1. I'm up for some hand-to-hand...

how 'bout the rest of you?

[ciaobox]

2. An idea for how to deal with this....

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=132&topic_id=1212585&mesg_id=1212585

[jerryster]

3. They're still at it, I see

I was afraid of something like this. The Repubs are so scared of losing Florida that in addition to "losing" thousands of absentee ballots they are going to try to use the discarded felon list. Now you know why there are 5,000 lawyers in Florida on Kerry's behalf.
The good news is that Kerry's campaign has never relaxed about this and will challenge the challengers at every turn.

[PretzelWarrior]

4. some people think if they suppress, we won't show. I say

Bring em on! You punk ass freeper repukes

[CottonBear]

5. We've got your back John! n/t

[DuaneBidoux]

6. Are they compiling any list of Felons from Cuba and challenging them?

I hate to stoop to the same level but...

That was the big bs thing that happened in 2000. The list of felons were all black. They had actually removed white felons (who tend to vote Repug) and had gone after no felons from the Little Cuba area (wonder why?).

[stevietheman]

7. LESSON

VOTE EARLY!!!

[rullery]

8. Vote now to avoid any possible challenge!

We have been having early voting here in Florida for the past ten days. I saw no sign of anybody being challenged at the polls. But if I thought there might be some possibility of my being challenged, I would get to the polls and vote early.

[Sara Beverley]

9. Take the challengers picture and get their names.

We will need a record for our court cases.

[ciaobox]

10. I am just trying to picture this and I think it will fail...

A couple whitebread Republican lawyers in suits confronting brothers and sisters and telling them they can't vote? I don't see African Americans in urban Florida neighborhoods shrinking. On the contrary, I see them standing up and saying "You going to stop me you fucking racist?"