Elections: Vigilante posse

Friday, November 18, 2005

The Republican voter vigilantes saddled up and rode down on King County's registered voters before the Nov. 8 election, gunning for nearly 2,000 people they alleged were improperly registered to vote.

"If Ron Sims and Dean Logan would do their jobs," state GOP Chairman Chris Vance declared in defense of the voter roundup, "we wouldn't have to do this sort of thing." Unfortunately, even County Executive Sims, Logan & Co. couldn't have screwed up as badly as the Republicans have.

Of the 1,944 claims made of illegally registered voters, they've withdrawn more than 300. That's an abysmally high error rate, particularly in challenging fellow citizens' right to vote.

Their work was sloppy, confusing 12th Avenue West with 12th Avenue, Fourth Avenue West with Fourth Avenue and Cedar Street in Seattle with Cedar Avenue -- in Forks.

All of which might be funny, if it didn't deal with people's right to vote, and if it weren't of questionable legality.

County GOP Vice Chairwoman Lori Sotelo signed an affidavit with each challenge, attesting "under penalty of perjury" that she had "personal knowledge" that each voter did not live at the address on his or her registration.

Does a scan of various databases, without a visit to the questioned address, constitute "personal knowledge"?

State law requires that the person filing the challenge "must furnish the address at which the challenged voter actually resides." Sotelo did not.

Perhaps another Republican, King County Prosecutor Norm Maleng, needs to review the case for criminal violations.

Soundoff (Read 28 comments)
Tell us what's on your mind.


Should the election system favor more voters (and the potential for fraud) or fewer voters (and the potential for intimidation)?
18.2% As many voters as possible	46.2% More voters, but check to make sure it's legal voters
25.0% Tougher rules that limit fraud	9.8% Let's be like North Dakota -- and get rid of voter registration
0.8% Don't know or don't care
Total Votes: 396