Maricopa County election fraud: Two official documents give Spanish speakers wrong election date (video)

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by Pamela Powers Hannley

Those pesky typos! (Yeah, right.)

The Maricopa County Elections Department has admitted to a second instance of voter suppression… er… poor proofreading. You'll remember that last week ABC 15 and Blog for Arizona reported that Spanish speaking voters were given the wrong date for the election on a document that was included with new voter registration cards.

This week, the elections department says that a bookmark with election details gives English speakers the correct date for the election (Nov. 6) but gives Spanish speakers Nov. 8 as election day.

Giving groups that you don't want to vote the wrong date is a tried and true voter suppression tactic. I didn't believe the first instance was a mistake; giving Latinos the wrong date twice is definitely not a typo oopsy. Seriously, how dumb could they be? Or how dumb do they think the rest of us are?

The Maricopa County Elections Department should be investigated by the feds– now.

Here's the story from ABC Channel 15…

PHOENIX – A spokesperson for the Maricopa County Elections Department admits they once again gave voters the wrong date of next month's election.

Yvonne Reed confirms to ABC15 that bookmarks distributed by the elections department incorrectly listed the date of the general election in Spanish as November 8.

The flip side of the bookmark correctly lists the date in English as November 6.

Reed tells ABC15 the bookmarks were distributed at the three election counters throughout Maricopa County and that the department has no way of knowing exactly how many people received the bookmarks.

Randy Parraz, President of Citizens For A Better Arizona, says the blame lies squarely with Maricopa County Recorder Helen Purcell.

"It shows she's incompetent and not qualified," said Parraz.

For the rest of the story, go to ABC 15 here.

What's really tragic about this suppression of Spanish speaking voters is that there have been gargantuan efforts to get out the Latino vote. This is an important election for all of us, but for Latinos in Maricopa County, it is there best chance in years to oust renegade Sheriff Joe Arpaio. 

Check out the Adios Arpaio video by Phoenix videographer Dennis Gilman after the jump.

 

4 thoughts on “Maricopa County election fraud: Two official documents give Spanish speakers wrong election date (video)”

  2. If I happen to stumble across the path of Mike Lacey and Jim Larkin and ask them how effective the FBI is in investigating abuses of power by a certain Maricopa County sheriff I have a feeling that they would say “Not much.”

    http://blogs.phoenixnewtimes.com/bastard/2007/10/update_new_times_founders_mich.php

    Plus, investigations don’t count for jack if the prosecutors ain’t going to pursue an indictment.

    Perhaps a certain candidate for Maricopa county attorney would be inclined (if elected) to keep the local county sheriff from letting his gun and shiny badge go to his head. It is time for me to ask Michael Kielsky how many big red signs he has planted this week in hopes of doing just that.

    http://blogs.phoenixnewtimes.com/valleyfever/2010/09/candidate_for_maricopa_county.php

    http://kielsky.com/w/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/Campaign9r500x500.jpg

    http://qr.net/jCwJ <- Goes to Google news about Michael Kielsky Pardon my lack of confidence in the FBI (this week). Perhaps in 2013 Robert Mueller and his prosecutorial associate Eric Holder will decide that Maricopa County Arizona is ripe for some attention. Keep Hope (and Change) alive!

  3. Good point, but rather than an election challenge or a recall, i think there should be an FBI investigation. With so many very important and potentially close races (ie, Obama-Romney, Fflake-Carmona, Sinema-Parker, Arpaio-Penzone), all the forces of darkness have to do is knock out or confuse a few thousand Democrats to win.

    The date on the Spanish materials isn’t wrong everywhere. That would be too obvious. All they have to do is misinform some of them.

  4. All I can say is that it is a dang shame that not one person (Libertarian, Green, Democrat, Republican or Independent) was moved to run against Helen Purcell for Maricopa County Recorder who is on the ballot this election cycle.
    http://www.azcentral.com/news/politics/2012questionnaires/results.php?id=purcellh

    There is no cost to file (save overcoming filing and ballot obstacles) to run for office in Arizona.

    There is also no cost to file a recall in Arizona. Recall forms for county level offices such as Sheriff and Recorder (who is responsible for elections) are filed with the Maricopa county election staff (who work for Recorder Helen Purcell).

    Hours and locations are available at:
    http://recorder.maricopa.gov/web/about.aspx#hours_locations

    Any takers?

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