Dead Goldfish Offered The Vote In Illinois

Election officials in northern Chicago want to know why voter registration material was sent to Princess, a dead goldfish. "I am just stunned at the level of people compromising the integrity of the voting process," said Lake County Clerk Willard Helander, a Republican, who said she has spotted problems with nearly 1,000 voter registrations this year. Beth Nudelman, who owned Princess, said the fish may have got on a mailing list because the family once filled in her name when they got a second phone line for a computer. When will we recognize a goldfish's right to vote?

Comments

The Obama Campaign

[Marxist Hacker 42]

Has been push-polling my 5 year old son, so why not a goldfish?

Re:The Obama Campaign

[El Royo]

Which is odd, since she has more executive experience than the other three folks involved in the race -- combined.

Re:The Obama Campaign

[Weasel Boy]

Perhaps this is why we tend to elect governors as president, not senators.

Re:The Obama Campaign

[bonch]

It gets worse. ACORN has been registering dead people, homeless people, Mickey Mouse, you name it. What was even more sickening is that Democrats on Huffington Post claimed Republicans were trying to "steal the election" by shutting down the "legitimate operations" of ACORN.

I can't trust either one of these fucking political parties.

Re:The Obama Campaign

[Neoprofin]

Since when are they trying to secede?

I was just up there during their celebration of 50 years of statehood, people seemed pretty excited about it.

Re:The Obama Campaign

[gd2shoe]

This isn't the first time this has happened "to" ACORN. Drawing the connection to the Democrat party isn't a stretch. At a minimum, Obama used to work for them. I'm not going to blame ACORN, yet. Let there be an investigation. Yes, I know that phrase is overused, but here it's warranted. Something about their policies or practices is allowing a tendency of fraud.

Re:The Obama Campaign

[MaskedSlacker]

As someone who works campaigns for a living now, I can tell you that trying to get off the lists is nigh impossible. Unless you tell them you will be voting against them. Those are the only ones who stopped getting called. Even then, that doesn't always work.

Re:The Obama Campaign

[tbannist]

Even worse, Bush had more "executive experience" when he was elected than all 4 candidates this time around, and I think we all know how that turned out...

Re:The Obama Campaign

[Aranykai]

We Texans went so far as to reserve the right.

Registration Materials

[MyLongNickName]

Oh no, it got sent registration materials. It did not get registered. The paperwork was sent out based on a request. It is the end of Democracy as we know it!

Re:Registration Materials

[stinerman]

And if Princess registers, she will show up to the polling place and cast a ballot.

You think anyone would notice Princess isn't a qualified elector?

Re:Registration Materials

[Straif]

Two words for this line of thinking: Absentee ballot.

Registration fraud is not just about making it possible to walk in and vote illegally in person, it also about just getting on the rolls so that a ballot can be requested by mail. And with the minimal validations being enforced in most states, it's not all that hard to do. There have already been reported cases of dead people having already voted, both federally and in the primaries.

Then of course there is the drive by voting trend that seems to be becoming more popular where people just enter a state long enough to register vote and leave (in direct violation of state voting laws). At least 14 cases have already been well documented (one an official Obama campaign worker and 13 others in an Obama associated 'get out the vote' group).

But to be fair in this stories case, this was more about a voter registration group just bulk mailing forms.

Re:Registration Materials

[samkass]

It gets even WORSE! Can you believe that some people are distributing BLANK registration forms that let you enter ANY NAME YOU WANT in the "Name" field??1!one! Let's throw out the entire democratic system because it can't possibly be perfect!

To clarify the summary-- the registration forms (not the actual registration) were sent to the goldfish because the owner had lied about a name on phone records previously, entering the goldfish's name. The goldfish was not registered, and probably could not have come up with the ID (the form required a driver's license # or last-four SSN that matched the name) if it tried.

Why am I not worried?

Re:Registration Materials

[tverbeek]

This is getting out of hand, to be sure. In some states it's possible to register to vote even if your grandfather wasn't registered! Clearly voter registration requirements have become overly lax since the 19th century.

Bad registration doesn't matter

[JoshuaZ]

Even if the fish had been registered it wouldn't matter. Voter registration fraud or voter registration errors aren't an issue unless actual voting fraud occurs which is much more difficult. None of the erroneously registered or requested to register individuals are going to actually vote.

Re:Bad registration doesn't matter

[ArcherB]

Even if the fish had been registered it wouldn't matter. Voter registration fraud or voter registration errors aren't an issue unless actual voting fraud occurs which is much more difficult. None of the erroneously registered or requested to register individuals are going to actually vote.

First, you can't have voter fraud without registration fraud. And once the vote takes place (ballot dropped in box), there is nothing you can do.

And yes, some of the "erroneously registered" have already voted in Ohio:

The New Yorkers and nine other members from across the country are accused of packing themselves into a modest three-bedroom house in Columbus, waiting 30 days - and then registering, even though the Buckeye State is not their permanent residence.

Under Ohio law, a person who comes to the state for "temporary purposes only," without the intention of making it the "permanent place of abode" is not considered a resident. New permanent residents must live in Ohio 30 days before registering.

Four group members, including two of the New Yorkers, have already cast ballots, and six others requested absentee ballots from the county elections board.

So, I guess now it really is voter fraud and NOT just registration fraud!

I understand Princess the dead gold-fish did not vote, however.

Re:Bad registration doesn't matter

[Anonymous Coward]

Bull.

I'd like to point out that I understand that this was just a case of the family getting a registration packet for a fish that was pining for the fjords.

However, the large influx of fraudulent/comical/garbage registrations that ARE being submitted is using up resources that should be used to remove the following entries:
1. non-citizens who have driver's licenses, and so (in some states) are automatically registered to vote
2. felons whose voting rights have been stripped as part of being found guilty, but are still (or are being actively) registered
3. people who have mistakes on the registry form, and need those fixed in order for their vote to be counted

The first two dilute the legitimate voters' rights (I don't fly to Germany and vote in their elections!) and the third case disenfranchises legitimate people whose votes deserve to be counted. There are documented cases where known felons' votes are being tallied, specifically because the election boards are overwhelmed, and don't want to wrongfully exclude those whose rights have been restored. (It's fine with me that a felon whose right has been restored gets to vote.)

I'd also like to point out that in some states (Ohio) registration and voting happened the same day, and once the votes are accepted, there is no way to remove them from the process. So in those cases, registration fraud and voter fraud can happen simultaneously.

Everyone talks about a fair election, how about being fair to those of us who maintain our citizenship and stay out of trouble?

Re:Bad registration doesn't matter

[Straif]

The problem with that thinking is that people are stuck on the concept of physically showing up to vote. As most states have some form of absentee voting system many of these fraudulent registrations can lead to actual votes.

There have already been reported cases of dead people voting through absentee ballots both federally and in the primaries.

Re:Bad registration doesn't matter

[Dave Walker]

Guess you missed the part where volunteer poll workers used "leftover" voter registrations at the end of the night to make up for the lack of legitimate votes in both Gary, Indiana and St. Louis, Missouri.

Voter registration fraud or voter registration errors aren't an issue unless actual voting fraud occurs which is much more difficult. I'm guessing you meant more difficult to prove.

Oops, guess you missed this too:

(Albuquerque, NM) - Public records released in New Mexico today confirm that fraudulent voter registrations are in fact turning into fraudulent votes. ACORN, currently under investigation by the FBI, is now confirmed to be responsible for producing fraudulent voter registrations and illegal votes in New Mexico. An inspection of public records has revealed that illegal votes were cast in New Mexico's 2008 primary election.

What color is the sky on your planet?
--
"They who would give up an essential liberty for temporary security, deserve neither liberty or security." -- Benjamin Franklin

PETA

[moniker127]

Looks like PETA finally got what they wanted. Damn lobbyists.

Re:I'd be more concerned...

[XxtraLarGe]

The point is that someone would be ABLE to vote on princess's behalf at the voting location. Not all polls care about a voter's ID.

Re:I'd be more concerned...

[jgtg32a]

because requiring ID is racist

Re:Voter suppresion at work

[Detritus]

I've overheard people bragging about voting twice while I was standing in line for the polls. It's easy to do and rarely investigated or prosecuted. The integrity of the process is largely base upon the honor system.

Are you kidding?

[mcgrew]

This is Illinois, where' we're so patriotic even being dead doesn't keep us from voting! Being nonhuman doesn't keep us from voting!

VOTE EARLY! VOTE OFTEN!

Illinois is home to Al Capone and Richard Daily.

The last Democrat to be defeated by a Republican went to prison. The last Republican to be defeated by a Democrat is in prison right now. And our present Governor, a Democrat, will likely go to prison himself, as the Feds are scrutinizing him in the Rezco case.

Both Federal Senators are Democrats. The Governor is a Democrat. The state legislature is mostly Democrat. Obama is from Illinois. Guess who's going to win Illinois by a landslide, dead goldfish or no?

Re:I'd be more concerned...

[phantomlord]

No identification is required in NY when you go to the polls... you just sign your name in the register of eligible voters and they conveniently give you a copy of your signature to look at while you do it.

It's shady business!

[socz]

This is my experience: When I got my drivers license in my state (a republic) i couldn't swap out the first letter of my second name, which is J on my birth certificate for X. In the end, they're both pronounced exactly the same, but because of "legal issues" i can't have it with an X on my drivers license.

Go forward in time. I'm now 18 and able to register to vote. So I sign up with X instead of J, wondering if that'll go through EVEN THOUGH my birth certificate, social security number and drivers license along with all my other documentation in life so far has it with a J. Guess what? It went through!

So I now happily vote with an X for my middle initial and no one ever questions it. So what's so shady about this? Do you guys ever wonder how you get notices for jury duty? Really, have you ever considered where those names are pulled from? At least in my state, it's from voter registration records.

Since I registered, i've only received jury duty summons for X, never J, who legally doesn't exist! Yeah, something has to be done about all this. It shouldn't be so difficult. Mexico is infamous for it's election fraud. BUT the way the voter registration goes is excellent. Everyone has a voters credential. That is something that EVERYONE has, it's even more important that your drivers license. As a matter of fact, many people in rural areas don't have drivers licenses, but do have those voter cards.

I grew up believing "USA is #1 in the world." But after having gone out of the US and seeing more of the world, I don't believe that is the case in every aspect. Mexico is always looked down out of ignorance. But they have got their voting system down... it's fraud they can't eliminate :P

BTW, this reminds me of Bush's win in 2000... Mexicans said, "We thought we knew all of the dirty tricks on how to rig elections."

Re:Voter suppresion at work

[PixelScuba]

Voting is a right, driving is a privilege.

Re:I'd be more concerned...

[Agent__Smith]

It also, in a state like mine, Arizona, helps weed out those who are here illegally, but who ACORN not only helped to get mortgages by the hundreds of thousands, but also helped find ways to register to vote. As these illegals tend to vote DEMOCRAT in disproportionate numbers, I guess you could call that partisan... I don't buy the "are poor and don't own vehicles" crap, as even many of the illegals purchase and own automobiles, and also, as an adult in this country, you can get a state ID that is not a driver license, and I would imagine that most do as you could not do anything from buy liquor and cigarettes to trying to open a checking account or apply for a job of any kind without one. So your point is garbage.

I have some more dead animules

[fortapocalypse]

Son, get your shovel. Let's go dig up some votes!

Re:Cloward-Piven Strategy

[NFNNMIDATA]

That is a fairly ridiculous conspiracy theory they've woven together there. I would rebut it with Hanlon's Razor but it doesn't even merit that.

Quantity vs. Quality of executive experience

[leftie]

Small town mayors and small state governors might have a certain x quantity of time on their resumes in the category of executive experience. But so do Pizza Hut managers.

I wouldn't for a moment consider either a small town mayors, small state governors, or a Pizza Hut managers to have the type of QUALITY of leadership experience required to seek national office.

It not just Sarah Palin that epic failed trying to move from small town mayor / governor to national candidate. Unfortunately, so did VT Gov. Howard Dean. Dean's horrible performance even with his orange hatted legions on the ground in the Iowa caucuses proved he had no large organization leadership experience. Now, with 4 years experience as Nat'l Party chair, Dean might be ready to seek national office today. Palin clearly isn't close to being ready for the national stage.

Obama, on the other hand, ran campaign organizations first in a large chunk of Chicago, then the state of Illinois, and then lead his national Presidential campaign to beat the Clintons nationally.

Re:Quantity vs. Quality of executive experience

[MyLongNickName]

I wouldn't for a moment consider either a small town mayors, small state governors, or a Pizza Hut managers to have the type of QUALITY of leadership experience required to seek national office.

That is what I said about Bill Clinton.