October 02, 2004

Voter Fraud Investigations

The possibility of voter fraud in the Badger State has increased due to recent events. First, Robert Marquise Blakely of Milwaukee has admitted he has signed off on voter registration forms of people he never met. While working for Project Vote Blakely drove workers around Racine and signed their forms because they weren't deputy registrars. That's illegal under state law. Blakely is also dealing with a drug charge and unemployment money the state says he shouldn't have received.

Next, the acting Racine city clerk asked the district attorney to investigate some voter registration applications. The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reports, "In seven of the cases, residents told the clerk's office that they had not signed the forms that were filed in their names."

Suspicions aren't localized to Racine. The Milwaukee Election Commission has also asked the district attorney to investigate some "suspicious" applications.

The problems in Racine deal with an outfit called Project Vote. They claim they are a non-partisan organization that registers low-income and minority voters--prime targets for Democrats. In fact, Project Vote wants people to donate to the Working Assets Voter Registration Fund which helps "Project Vote, US Action, the NAACP National Voter Fund." Working Assets is a Lefty operation that donates a portion of phone and credit card sales to Lefty groups. This organization can claim all it wants that it's non-partisan, but much can be divined from the company it keeps.

It's not a coincidence that GOP-dominated Ozaukee and Washington counties haven't noticed suspicious voter registration activity. Project Vote and other like outfits are targeting Democratic areas to generate as many Kerry votes legally or illegally.

Kevin Kennedy, executive director of the state Elections Board, said, "The problems we're having are volume problems, not fraud problems." He is either the most naive state official in recent memory or incompetent. He obviously doesn't realize (or doesn't care) that a massive increase in voter registrations when Wisconsin lets voters register at the polls makes it easier for fraud to take place. Red flags should be popping up in his mind. Why are so many groups interested in registering so many voters before the election? Will many of these new voters then ask for absentee ballots? Or will people spend Election Day going from polling place to polling place claiming to be multiple new voters? Since Wisconsin only requires an ID during the registration process none is needed to vote.

People like Milwaukee alderman Mike D'Amato claim people like me who are publicizing the potential for voter fraud are trying to "intimidate individuals, including first-time voters." We're not intimidating anyone. Pointing out the possibility of illegal activity won't prevent a single legitimate voter from exercising their right to vote. What we're doing is defending the integrity of the ballot so the will of the people is accurately heard.

"Deputy Registrar May Have Violated State Election Law"

"2 Voter Registration Workers in Court on Criminal Charges"

"Milwaukee Seeks Voter Form Probe"