Civil & Human Rights

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.

Obama campaign ad: ‘Seen’

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Posted by AzBlueMeanie:

The Obama campaign responds to Mitt Romney's flat-out lie
in his new ad that he has never supported banning all abortions with a new ad
entitled "Seen," which includes video of Mittens Romney saying he would be "delighted to sign" a
bill outlawing all abortion. Romney acts like he has never heard of those newfangled inventions like sound recordings and moving picture film and the "tee-vee" and the Internet. Description:

Voiceover:
"Seen this from Mitt Romney? Then take a look at this:"

Anderson Cooper:
"If
Roe v. Wade was overturned, Congress passed a federal ban on all
abortions, and it came to your desk — would you sign it? 'Yes', or
'no?'"

Mitt Romney:
"Let me say it: I'd be delighted to sign that bill."

Voiceover:
"Banning all abortions?"

Mitt Romney:
"I'd be delighted to sign that bill."

Voiceover:
"Trying to mislead us? That's wrong. But ban all abortions? Only…if you vote for him."

Video below the fold.

GOP war on voting: U.S. Supreme Court rejects petition from Ohio on early voting

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Posted by AzBlueMeeanie:

Another victory against the GOP war on voting. The U.S. Supreme Court has rejected a petition for certiorari from Ohio Secretary of State Jon Husted to review the 6th Circuit Court of Appeals order to make early voting available to all voters on an equal basis on the final weekend before election day in Ohio. High court won't block early voting in Ohio:

The Supreme Court sided with Democrats on Tuesday in refusing to
block a decision over disputed early voting days in the battleground
state of Ohio, giving President Barack Obama's campaign a victory three
weeks before the election.

The court refused a request by the
state's Republican elections chief and attorney general to get involved
in a battle over early voting on the three days before Election Day.

Obama's
campaign and Ohio Democrats sued the state officials over changes in
state law that took away the three days of voting for most people but
made exceptions for military personnel and Ohioans living overseas.

Democrats
in their lawsuit cited a recent study saying nearly 105,000 people
voted in the three days before the election in 2008. They argued
everyone should have the chance to vote on those days. And they said
eliminating the opportunity for most Ohio residents to vote in person on
those days, while giving military or overseas voters the chance to do
so, leads to unequal treatment.

* * *

On Oct. 5, a federal appeals court reinstated voting on the weekend
and Monday before the election and returned discretion to set hours on
those days to local boards of elections.

Ohio Secretary of State Jon Husted appealed that ruling to the Supreme Court last week.

* * *

Shortly after the high court's decision, Husted ordered uniform hours
across the state. The hours are from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday, Nov.
3; from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. on Sunday, Nov. 4; and from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. on
Monday, Nov. 5.

Bob Bauer, general counsel for Obama for America, praised the Supreme Court's decision.

Women Ignited Now (W.I.N.) video: ‘Vote’

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Posted by AzBlueMeanie:

Sens. Paula Aboud (D-LD 28) and Linda Lopez (D-LD 29) brought their Women Ignited Now (W.I.N.) rally to the Saguaro Eastside Democrats on Monday night.

Sen. Aboud recommended viewing online this video entitled “Vote,” directed by Steve Anderson, which was shown at the W.I.N. rallies around the state but for which there was not enough time to show at the SED meeting last night. Sen. Aboud recommended grassroots activism – the "rule of 10" — share this video with 10 of your friends and family, and pass it on.

Video below the fold.