Voter intimidation: how do they do it?

[Rocknrule]

What are some reported cases of Republicans intimidating minority voters at the polls? What exactly do they do, just show up in their white sheets or something more subtle?

[TooBigaTent]

1. They use police, both uniformed and off-duty, as "security" to intimidate voters. The cops

challenge the voters, ticket parked cars, close roads leading to polls in minority areas, etc.

That is on the individual level.

More heinous, IMO, are the systemic and institutional tactics that are used to get rid of thousands of voters at a time - e.g., "caging" and other purging of voter rolls.

Throw in the sabotage/destruction of voting machines and you have a trifecta of cheating.

Top it off by fixing the machines and you have an unbeatable strategy.

[malaise]

5. Homeland Security will take control of the police

as they did in Minnesota.

[GreenPartyVoter]

2. "Here's where you register to vote but if you have outstanding bills or tickets, youmay be arrested"

[EFerrari]

3. "If you vote in the wrong precinct, your student aid will be canceled."

[GreenPartyVoter]

4. And then there's the "Go here to vote" and there's nothing there.. or "Polls are open until

yadda yadda" and people show up too late. Not intimidation but still underhanded. x(

[EFerrari]

6. Robo calls -- that tell you to register and mail in your form

causing you to miss the deadline or screw up your existing registration.

People who come to your door and offer to deliver your absentee ballot for you -- happens to the elderly.

[GreenPartyVoter]

7. There's so much anti-democracy crap going on it's just sickening

[EFerrari]

8. We forgot asking for ID. They ask for ID and then reject what you present.

If they can make you leave and go home, maybe you won't be back.

My favorite is being told sorry, you're not on the rolls. Very low tech and most people just walk away. That happened to me once. Three different people told me I wasn't on the rolls. I finally embarrassed them enough so they had to let me look and there I was, by golly. Republican precinct near Lost Angeles.

[GreenPartyVoter]

9. Oh, yes. Those two suck eggs. I live in a tiny town. We don't even present ID and

no one ever dare tell me I'm not on the rolls because I have been voting here for 8 years and it would be odd if suddenly my was dropped off. And we use pencil and paper to vote here.

People may make fun of small town living from time-to-time, but in this one area I feel we may have the big cities beat. (Well, at least here. I'm sure there are plenty of corrupt villages all over the place.)

[Rocknrule]

10. Where I vote

I'm given a choice b/w a Diebold machine or a paper ballot. Needless to say, I choose the paper ballot, and encourage everyone else to do the same if they have a choice.