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“Traditional Values, Progressive Thinking”
I recently received a copy of Imprimis, which is a monthly publication that comes from Hillsdale College in Hillsdale, Michigan. The July 2005 issue featured an article on Reforming Elections for the Preservation of Liberty. The article was very timely considering the election fraud that has recently been uncovered in our region. The article was adapted from a speech delivered at a luncheon co-sponsored by Hillsdale College and the Evergreen Foundation on June 22, 2005 in Seattle, Washington.
As I read the article, I was shocked to learn that, nationwide, our election system has become extremely compromised. There are two schools of thought as to why this has happened. Some believe that incompetency or human error is to blame and others point to fraud. The fact is, both are to blame and neither is acceptable. University of Virginia Professor Larry Sabato, in his book Dirty Little Secrets, says “The fact that voter fraud is generally not recognized as a serious problem by the press, public and law enforcement creates the perfect environment for it to flourish.”
It appears that election fraud has certainly flourished. After the 2004 election, serious questions were raised in the states of Ohio, New Mexico, Wisconsin, South Dakota, Washington, and elsewhere about the integrity of vote counts in close races. John Fund, a columnist for the Wall Street Journal says that the United States has a “haphazard, fraud-prone election system befitting an emerging Third World country rather than the world’s leading democracy.” What a sad statement that is.
To give you an idea of the types of election fraud that are occurring in our country, I have listed below a series of events that occurred in the State of Washington’s 2004 gubernatorial election.
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After the election, on at least 10 occasions, King County found unsecured ballots. In nine of those cases, election officials added them to the ballot count. |
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With no system to track how many absentee ballots were sent out and returned, King County ended up with 875 more absentee votes counted than the number of people who voted by absentee ballot. |
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Across the state, 1,818 provisional ballots (ballots used by voters whose identification or eligibility to vote is in question) were identified as improperly tabulated. |
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Voter registration drives were conducted in state mental institutions, among Alzheimer’s patients in extended care facilities, and with felons. |
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More than 1,400 felons whose voting rights had not been restored were allowed to vote. One felon even voted absentee from his jail cell! |
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It is estimated that at least 55,175 ballots were “enhanced” (election workers decided for those voters how they meant to vote, even if the voter did not select a candidate). |
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8,500 more votes were cast than voters credited with voting. |
The election fraud that occurred in the State of Washington is very disturbing to me especially when you realize that these types of situations are more than likely occurring across our nation, in every state.
In our great country, all U.S. citizens of voting age can cast a ballot, as long as they have not lost their voting rights. The loss of these voting rights occurs when a citizen commits a felony or becomes mentally incompetent. Yet, according to the article, felons, deceased people and non-U.S. residents across the country are allowed to vote. In fact, some people are allowed to vote twice.
One of the reasons that this type of fraud occurs is that, across the nation, we have increasingly used an absentee ballot system as a way to encourage more citizens to vote. This system has made it easier and more convenient for voters, but in doing so, we have greatly expanded the opportunity for voter fraud. The Florida Department of Law Enforcement said, “The lack of in-person, at-the-polls accountability makes absentee ballots the tool of choice for those inclined to commit voter fraud.”
Voter disenfranchisement is the subject that is front and center in the debate about our absentee voting system. State and federal legislators and administrators basically disagree over what voter disenfranchisement means.
One view is that voters are disenfranchised when the system is too demanding. Proponents of this view feel that voting should be simple and easy for as many people as possible and that voters are on an “honor” system. This view also supports election officials having broad discretionary power, including the ability to “discern voter intent”.
The second view is of the opinion that legal voters are disenfranchised when illegal votes are cast and counted. Proponents of this view feel that voters should have to prove they are eligible to vote and that they should properly fill out their ballots, thus avoiding the issue of “discerning voter intent”. They also feel that votes should be accurately counted. Unfortunately, the first view has been winning the debate.
For example, Congress passed the Motor Voter Act during the Clinton administration. The Act requires employees at state driver’s licensing facilities to ask applicants if they want to register to vote. However, these facilities are not allowed to ask applicants if they are U.S. citizens. Further proof that the first view is winning the argument is that in recent years traditional safeguards at the polls, such as requiring voters to show identification, have been eliminated.
“We the people” have allowed traditional safeguards at the polls to be relaxed, whether by silence, inattention or misunderstanding. It is now time for us to demand that the problem be fixed.
Election fraud issues present significant challenges, but good solutions do exist. First, as we have experienced in the Metro East, criminal prosecution of voter fraud has to occur. These criminals have to go to jail.
Second, legislative reforms also have to occur. Voter rolls must be cleaned up. All citizens should be required to show proof of citizenship and to register their legal names. This would allow for the removal of names of ineligible felons, deceased people, and illegal aliens. Photo identification and a signature should be required of voters prior to casting a ballot, whether absentee or at the polls.
Our vote-by-mail system needs to be revamped. Contrary to popular opinion, this system does not increase voter participation, which was the main purpose behind it. Those who like the convenience need to face the fact that it has eroded electoral integrity. I am of the opinion that voting by absentee ballot should be the chosen method for only those who truly cannot get to the polls on election day. An example of someone that would qualify for an absentee ballot is an elderly person who is confined to a long-term nursing facility and is mentally competent and eligible to cast their vote. Another example would be our citizens who are stationed overseas, serving their country in the military.
Laws also need to be tightened on the use of provisional ballots. A voter seeking to cast a ballot outside his/her own precinct should be required to show identification, and then the election judge would call headquarters to verify eligibility. If a voter insists on casting a ballot at the wrong location, he/she would be given a ballot allowing him/her to vote only in those races for which everyone in the state is voting.
“Ballot enhancement” should not be allowed. Under no circumstances should anyone be allowed to determine a voter’s intent. Most of us fill out our ballot in its entirety, but sometimes we intentionally choose not to vote for something or someone. Our vote should stand as we intended, not be manipulated by an election official.
Third, it’s critical that election officials do their jobs in a law-abiding and timely manner. Stiff penalties must be put in place for election officials who disregard the law. We also need to make certain that military ballots are sent out in a timely manner. The article states, “In Washington State, thousands of ballots were sent to overseas military too late to be counted in the 2004 election.” According to the article, the Pentagon has recommended excellent solutions, including the use of write-in ballots. Another option for military personnel may be to develop and implement a completely secure internet balloting system.
Too many Americans have given their lives to protect our precious freedom, and it is up to us to honor their sacrifices by cleaning up our election processes. In America, where free and fair elections are the cornerstone of our country, sloppy or politically-oriented vote counting is not acceptable. I firmly believe that political decisions should be freely made at the election polls by eligible voters whose votes will be properly and accurately counted. We should all take it upon ourselves to preserve that principle through election reform. I urge you to contact your State Representatives and Senators and your U.S. Congressmen and Senators and ask them to help us “fix” our election problems.
As always, I welcome your suggestions and comments and encourage you to contact me at 624-4500. It is through your input and dialog on important issues that we will make O’Fallon an even better place to live and work. It is an honor to serve as your Mayor, and I appreciate being given the opportunity to work for the residents of O’Fallon.
Gary L. Graham
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