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Home Front: Politix
Probe: 46,000 New York City Voters Also Registered in Florida
2004-10-16
At the request of Florida Secretary of State Glenda Hood, the Justice Department has initiated an investigation following a report that 46,000 New York City voters are also registered to vote in Florida and that as many as 1,000 may have already voted in both states in the same election. On August 24, the New York Daily News published the results of an investigation by reporter Russ Buettner. Buettner determined that 46,000 New York City residents are also registered to vote in Florida. Of these, the investigation "found that between 400 and 1,000 registered voters have voted twice in at least one election." This is a federal offense punishable by up to five years in jail.

Not surprisingly, these twice-registered New York voters are overwhelmingly Democratic, 68% to only 12% registered as Republicans. Another 16% did not list a party affiliation. This would mean about 31,280 are Democrats, while only about 5,520 are Republicans, giving the Democrats a 25,760-voter advantage among those who--at least theoretically--could vote illegally in both New York City and Florida on November 2. In 2000, Bush beat Gore by only 537 votes in Florida--thus securing an Electoral College victory.

The Daily News cited by name only six people who had voted in both New York and Florida in at least one previous election. Ironically, of these six, the paper identified two as Republicans and only one as a Democrat, with no party affiliations given for the other three. On October 4, Florida Secretary of State Hood announced that the U.S. Justice Department and the U.S. Elections Assistance Commission are investigating the Daily News's revelations, and that she did not believe New York was the only state whose residents were double-registering in Florida. "The FBI has assured us that the Department of Justice is investigating this issue," Hood was quoted in the Tampa Tribune. "Today I met with the chairman of the U.S. Elections Assistance Commission, and their general counsel has been reviewing it. . . . We are sure there are other states involved." In an August 26 letter, the Tribune reported, Hood told the FBI that federal action is "necessary to send a strong message that this type of illegal behavior and manipulation of the election franchise will not be tolerated."
Posted by:Mark Espinola

#15  Frank G.> Ah - I had forgotten absentee voting.
Posted by: Aris Katsaris   2004-10-16 9:52:43 PM  

#14  Off with their heads.
Posted by: Asedwich   2004-10-16 7:37:15 PM  

#13  early voting just started, Aris, and Absentee (as most might've done) aren't in yet. Compare and disqualify those who've voted twice. Hard to explain or justify, f*&k em
Posted by: Frank G   2004-10-16 6:56:04 PM  

#12  "...as many as 1,000 may have already voted in both states in the same election..."

Aren't there lists of which voters voted where and *whether* they voted at their registered location?

Instead of phrases like "as many as 1000" and "may have", why not simply compare the lists and see which ones and how many have indeed done so?

Easy enough to tell then, whether they did it intentionally or not.
Posted by: Aris Katsaris   2004-10-16 6:34:51 PM  

#11  "...as many as 1,000 may have already voted in both states in the same election..."
Lock 'em up.
Posted by: Tom   2004-10-16 4:19:37 PM  

#10  

Remember in a number of states voters are not asked to prove whom they are with a driver license or any form of ID, it's the trust system, which is a ticket to corruption & election board/voter fraud.

The Dem's political machine has had lots of well-funded practice over the years.
Posted by: Mark Espinola   2004-10-16 12:41:26 PM  

#9  Tom, there is a big difference between being registered to vote in two locations, and actually voting in both. I agree that those who vote more than once should be locked up. AND pay a heavy fine to pay back society for the cost of searching out and invalidating the illegal ballots. But not those who are merely illegally double-registered, especially if they take the opportunity to regularize their situation.
Posted by: trailing wife   2004-10-16 11:51:51 AM  

#8  Trailing wife, how could you possibly believe that? You don't think they've ever heard of "one man, one vote"? You don't think they know they shouldn't get two votes. Give me a break! Send them to the slammer.
Posted by: Tom   2004-10-16 11:44:08 AM  

#7  I do not crock my excrement, Analog Roam. I flush it.

The 46,000 from New York City are clearly Snowbirds -- they probably were just trying to make sure they could vote wherever they were come November, just like they have complete wardrobes at each home, fully stocked pantries and furniture. My Snowbird friends travel back and forth with just a carry-on containing their latest prescriptions and a change of clothes in case they get delayed along the way. This is nothing like the latest perfidy of enrolling the dead and the dogs.

I do agree, though, that the snowbirds, at least, wouldn't have done it if they'd realized it was illegal. And they will be relieved to de-register, just like they've chosen one home as their primary residence for tax purposes. Publish an announcement on all TV, radio and newspapers about an eg. one-week amnesty to regularize their status, and that will likely take care of much of the problem, leaving the hard-core criminals exposed for prosecution.
Posted by: trailing wife   2004-10-16 11:40:40 AM  

#6  Thier vote should be thrown out with the trash.I ain't buyin the"Didn't know it was illegle"crap.
Posted by: Raptor   2004-10-16 11:34:59 AM  

#5  "I imagine most offenders had no idea it was illegal."

What a steaming crock of excrement! How can you possibly believe that? I think it is extremely unlikely that more than a handfull realize that they did anything wrong.

Most of these people knew exactly what they were doing. Round them up and LOCK them up. We need to start enforcing our laws, and we need to make an example of these people.

Most of this crap would not be happening if people knew that there was high probability of being prosecuted and incarcerated.

-AR
Posted by: Analog Roam   2004-10-16 11:09:34 AM  

#4  I should have been more clear. I was thinking about the vast increase in fraud we are reading about this election cycle, and not about arresting the double voters (yet). I was thinging more in terms of the folks tearing up voter registrations of the other party, folks mass signing voter cards for dead people/names from the phone book, shots fired/intimidation tactics at campaign offices, and those pre-emptively claiming fraud.

As for those who double vote, fine them. Even better if they can be made ineligible to vote in the next election cycle.
Posted by: ed   2004-10-16 11:08:18 AM  

#3  No, this is the first time its come up -- I imagine most offenders had no idea it was illegal. Offer amnesty to those who confess and de-register in one state or the other. Then follow up with convictions and high fines for those who double-voted or don't take the amnesty. In the meantime, sequester all votes from the the 46,000 and all others discovered.
Posted by: trailing wife   2004-10-16 10:55:17 AM  

#2  This crap eats away at the trust and integrity that underlies a democratic system. Time to arrest and indict the offenders.
Posted by: ed   2004-10-16 8:24:36 AM  

#1  Strike them from the rolls in Florida.
Posted by: OldSpook   2004-10-16 7:32:37 AM  

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