Oregon GOP voter "observation manual" instruction on videotaping approaches borderline intimidation
Oregon GOP voter "observation manual" instruction on videotaping approaches borderline intimidation; false information on voting deadline reveals attempt at vote suppression
Bend.com:
The Count Every Vote project on Tuesday denounced what it called Republican plans to suppress voter turnout in Oregon.
A front-page story in The Oregonian detailed a plan published by Republicans that calls on operatives to mislead, videotape and disenfranchise voters.
According to The Oregonian, State Elections Division Director John Lindback has reviewed the Republican instruction manual and said it had “serious” problems. The story outlines two Republican suppression techniques from the manual such as videotaping voters and misleading people who are standing in line on Election Night so they will get discouraged and drop out of line.
“If they start videotaping when some people are still voting, some voters might consider that intimidating,” Lindback said.
Lindback also pointed out that the Republican plan contains an untruth about who has the right to vote that could discourage voters who are in line to cast their ballots on Election Night. According to the story, the Republican manual states that ballots dropped off after 8 p.m. are not to be counted.
That is not correct. State law says that voters who are in line by 8 p.m. will have their ballots counted, even if they haven’t been turned in by the deadline. When asked about this untruth, Republican operative Jeb Mason said that there are a lot of definitions of “in line.”
“If someone is in line, they are in line. And if they are in line at 8:00 on Election Night, their vote will count,” says Bryan Johnston, spokesperson for the Count Every Vote project. “It is deeply troubling that in the first week of voting the Republicans have already started a misinformation campaign.”
Johnston says the best defense against intimidation is to stand up and be counted.
“If these efforts scare even one voter away from the polls,” he says, “we all lose.”
Johnston also noted that The Oregonian reported that so far only a Multnomah County plan has become public and that evidence is being gathered to challenge ballots in this Democratic voter base.
“Are they planning to challenge ballots, videotape voters and spread information in counties that aren’t Democratic strongholds?” he asks. “It’s one thing to be opposed to Democrats. I hope this doesn’t mean the Republicans are opposed to democracy.”
The Oregonian:
Democrats, pointing to a Republican "observation manual" that has been widely leaked, say Republicans are out to suppress turnout in Oregon as a way to help Bush beat his Democratic challenger, Sen. John Kerry of Massachusetts.
"The Republicans' main goal is to make people uncomfortable and confused in the election process," said Adam Green, spokesman for the state Democratic Party. An example, he said, is "when Republicans talk about videotaping people as they go turn in their ballots."
Adams referred to a part of the nine-page GOP instruction manual that calls on volunteers to show up at ballot drop-off sites at 7:45 p.m. on election night, 15 minutes before the voting deadline.
"They should have a video camera and cell phone," states the manual, a copy of which was obtained by The Oregonian. "Their job is not to confront anyone, but to record and notify the proper officials of any activities that are not in compliance of federal, state or county election laws."
John Lindback, state elections director, looked at the Republican instruction manual and said it had a few "serious" problems. He, too, was concerned by the reference to video cameras at ballot drop-off sites.
"If they start videotaping when some people are still voting, some voters might consider that intimidating," Lindback said.
He also took issue with an implication in the manual that ballots dropped off after 8 p.m. are not to be counted.
According to the state Elections Division, voters in line by 8 p.m. will have their ballots counted, even if they haven't been turned in by the deadline. In most cases, a sheriff's deputy will stand at the end of the line to ensure no latecomers are allowed to vote.
But there are a lot of definitions of "in line," said Jeb Mason, executive director of Oregon Victory '04, the grass-roots organizing branch of the state Republican Party. [eRiposte note: This is a blatant indication of an intent to mislead voters].
http://vote2004.eriposte.com/swingstates/oregon.htm
Bend.com:
The Count Every Vote project on Tuesday denounced what it called Republican plans to suppress voter turnout in Oregon.
A front-page story in The Oregonian detailed a plan published by Republicans that calls on operatives to mislead, videotape and disenfranchise voters.
According to The Oregonian, State Elections Division Director John Lindback has reviewed the Republican instruction manual and said it had “serious” problems. The story outlines two Republican suppression techniques from the manual such as videotaping voters and misleading people who are standing in line on Election Night so they will get discouraged and drop out of line.
“If they start videotaping when some people are still voting, some voters might consider that intimidating,” Lindback said.
Lindback also pointed out that the Republican plan contains an untruth about who has the right to vote that could discourage voters who are in line to cast their ballots on Election Night. According to the story, the Republican manual states that ballots dropped off after 8 p.m. are not to be counted.
That is not correct. State law says that voters who are in line by 8 p.m. will have their ballots counted, even if they haven’t been turned in by the deadline. When asked about this untruth, Republican operative Jeb Mason said that there are a lot of definitions of “in line.”
“If someone is in line, they are in line. And if they are in line at 8:00 on Election Night, their vote will count,” says Bryan Johnston, spokesperson for the Count Every Vote project. “It is deeply troubling that in the first week of voting the Republicans have already started a misinformation campaign.”
Johnston says the best defense against intimidation is to stand up and be counted.
“If these efforts scare even one voter away from the polls,” he says, “we all lose.”
Johnston also noted that The Oregonian reported that so far only a Multnomah County plan has become public and that evidence is being gathered to challenge ballots in this Democratic voter base.
“Are they planning to challenge ballots, videotape voters and spread information in counties that aren’t Democratic strongholds?” he asks. “It’s one thing to be opposed to Democrats. I hope this doesn’t mean the Republicans are opposed to democracy.”
The Oregonian:
Democrats, pointing to a Republican "observation manual" that has been widely leaked, say Republicans are out to suppress turnout in Oregon as a way to help Bush beat his Democratic challenger, Sen. John Kerry of Massachusetts.
"The Republicans' main goal is to make people uncomfortable and confused in the election process," said Adam Green, spokesman for the state Democratic Party. An example, he said, is "when Republicans talk about videotaping people as they go turn in their ballots."
Adams referred to a part of the nine-page GOP instruction manual that calls on volunteers to show up at ballot drop-off sites at 7:45 p.m. on election night, 15 minutes before the voting deadline.
"They should have a video camera and cell phone," states the manual, a copy of which was obtained by The Oregonian. "Their job is not to confront anyone, but to record and notify the proper officials of any activities that are not in compliance of federal, state or county election laws."
John Lindback, state elections director, looked at the Republican instruction manual and said it had a few "serious" problems. He, too, was concerned by the reference to video cameras at ballot drop-off sites.
"If they start videotaping when some people are still voting, some voters might consider that intimidating," Lindback said.
He also took issue with an implication in the manual that ballots dropped off after 8 p.m. are not to be counted.
According to the state Elections Division, voters in line by 8 p.m. will have their ballots counted, even if they haven't been turned in by the deadline. In most cases, a sheriff's deputy will stand at the end of the line to ensure no latecomers are allowed to vote.
But there are a lot of definitions of "in line," said Jeb Mason, executive director of Oregon Victory '04, the grass-roots organizing branch of the state Republican Party. [eRiposte note: This is a blatant indication of an intent to mislead voters].
http://vote2004.eriposte.com/swingstates/oregon.htm
posted by David R. Jones at 11:43 AM
"The mainstay of American politics is the opposition researcher....the person or group charged with looking into the background of an organization or candidate."
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