Ray’s got another one of his inane blogs posted, Photo Identification for Voters, about voter registration. His vague complaints seem to be targeted at voter qualification on election day at the polls. He claims that “Many of these ?non-voters? fail to vote because they don?t want to wait in long lines.” He’d better check causes of long lines — maybe it’s 25B voting patterns and because voter turnout is unbelievably high! If you look at the Scott County precincts of 25B, you’ll find an average voter turnout of over 90%. Long lines are caused by high voter turnout and insufficient staffing and not enough voting booths.

Why would he take these positions on voter registration, when it appears that voters indeed turn out for 25B elections? Or is his problem that high turnout in Minnesota historically favors the DFL?

Has there been voter fraud in 25B? In Minnesota? Is it a big issue anywhere???? Something tells me he’s not thinking about the massive fraud in the last two Presidential elections…

From MAPE‘s Workday Minnesota:

Here is the complete list of ways to register on Election Day:

– MN Driver’s license, learner’s permit, identification card, or receipt for any of these, with your current address
– Tribal ID from a federally recognized Indian Tribe located in Minnesota, which has a photo, your name and current address
– For students, a Registration or Fee statement with the student’s name and address, along with a photo ID
– “Notice of Late Registration” postcard from the Secretary of State
– Original utility bill dated within 30 days of the election with voter’s name and current address, along with a photo ID (including Military ID, U.S. Passport, Student ID, MN ID, or Tribal ID)
– Someone who is registered in the precinct who has personal knowledge that you live in the district and will vouch for you
– Student ID with a photo for students who live on campus, if your college provided the county with a certified list of students
– If you live at a residential facility, an employee at the facility can vouch that you live in the district, if the facility provided the county with a list of employees 20 days before the election.

Cox makes the same bogus claim about voter registration that he makes about Environmental Assessment Worksheets (Ag or generally?), that it’s been “abused.” Really! Here’s the quote:

Voting is a privilege and a right, but there are people that abuse the system.

Abuse the system? HUH? How prevalent is voter fraud? How many instances of voter fraud have there been recently?

Who’s abusing the voter registration system?

Stripper.jpg

Ray Cox could cite one of the biggest cases of voter fraud in U.S. history, right here in his own front yard, but he doesn’t mention it! Do you remember the “Jake’s” case?

Voting Fraud Aimed at Benefiting Strip Club
Thursday, October 17, 2002

COATES, Minn. ? Dakota County prosecutors charged 95 people Wednesday in an alleged scheme to rig elections in the small town of Coates for the benefit of a strip club that officials have long been trying to shut down.

County Attorney James Backstrom said 94 of the defendants filled out voter registration cards claiming they lived at the same address. The address turned out to be that of the club, named Jake’s.

Prosecutors charged Jake’s owner Richard J. Jacobson, 32, of Prescott, Wis., with conspiracy to commit forgery and conspiracy to commit unlawful voting, another felony, for allegedly orchestrating the scheme. The other 94 all were charged with forgery and conspiracy to commit forgery. All the charges are felonies.

Backstrom said he believed some of the defendants were employees at Jake’s, but he thought most were customers who might have been duped into signing the registration cards.

Reached at the club, Jacobson declined to comment on the voter fraud allegations. But he said his battle has been going on for 11 years and described the situation as “a small town run amok, with a Nazi mayor and a bunch of sheep as councilmen.”

Jacobson’s attorney, Randall Tigue, said he had not reviewed the charges but had read a news release from Backstrom’s office describing them. Based on that, he said he doubted a crime had been committed.

This case of voter fraud wasn’t about unqualified individual voters lining up at the polls, it was an issue of a guy orchestrating an effort to force his will over a community’s ability to determine the character of the city, corporate v. local control. He was losing, the city was shutting him down, and here’s the extent he went to to prevail. The problem is one of economic coercion of employees and collusion with patrons. I’ve got a copy of the long list of those charged in this case, a few familiar names… Registration was done through the mail on registration forms, not through on-site election day registration.


Town Bares All

Voter Registration Fraud in Minnesota

Justice cracks down on voter fraud

Marijuana, $70,000 seized at strip club involved in voter fraud scandal

This is the only reference to a case of voter fraud that I’ve been able to find.

So where’s the problem, Ray? What are you really getting at?

Maybe the Secretary of State is going to get sued again… her ideas on voting rights are scary… draconian federal regs would keep Kiffmeyer out of the hot seat!

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