Voter registration problems widening in Florida

A primary voter walks to her polling precinct in downtown St. Petersburg, Fla., in this January 31, 2012, file photo. / PAUL J. RICHARDS/AFP/Getty Images

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. What first appeared to be an isolated problem in one Florida county has now spread statewide, with election officials in nine counties informing prosecutors or state election officials about questionable voter registration forms filled out on behalf of the Republican Party of Florida.

State Republican officials already have fired the vendor it had hired to register voters, and took the additional step of filing an election fraud complaint against the company, Strategic Allied Consulting, with state officials. That complaint was handed over Friday to state law-enforcement authorities.

A spokesman for Florida's GOP said the matter was being treated seriously.

"We are doing what we can to find out how broad the scope is," said Brian Burgess, the spokesman.

Florida is the battleground state where past election problems led to the chaotic recount that followed the 2000 presidential election.

The Florida Democratic Party called on the state to "revoke" the ability of state Republicans to continue to register voters while the investigation continues. Oct. 9 is the deadline to register to vote in the Nov. 6 presidential election.

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"It is clear that the Republican Party of Florida does not have the institutional controls in place to be trusted as a third-party, voter registration organization," said Scott Arceneaux, executive director of the Florida Democratic Party.

The Republican Party of Florida has paid Strategic Allied Consulting more than $1.3 million, and the Republican National Committee used the group for work in Nevada, North Carolina, Colorado and Virginia.

The company said earlier this week that it was cooperating with elections officials in Florida. It initially said the suspect forms were turned in by one person, who has been fired.

"Strategic has a zero-tolerance policy for breaking the law," Fred Petti, a company attorney, said Thursday.

But late Friday the company put out a lengthy statement on its website and said that it was aware of questionable forms in other counties and that it confirmed in each of those counties that the problem was with "one individual." Strategic said it had more than 2,000 people working in the state of Florida.

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[cjgrand]

There is no comparison to what is happening here and ACORN.

ACORN red flagged and turned in suspicious forms. They did not shred forms from either party.

This agency is shredding forms, and ONLY forms filled out by Democratic voters. That is a crime! Where is the evidence that the forms were not valid?
There is none!

And the owner of this agency has a history already from 2004. They knew who they were dealing with.

[nancy_naive]

See? They were right. There is massive voter registration fraud.

<snicker>

Reminds me of the Evangelical minister who railed about pornograpghy on the internet. So, his solution was to download images and video and put them on his church website so his parishiners could see exactly how evil the internet was...

[DannieC]

I always knew there were fake voters in Florida. It is amazing that they have finally found them, after over a decade.

[sandiegopete]

It appears that what the Republican Party is doing is getting voter registrations and then going though them and throwing away the ones that designate Democratic Party preference and turning in only those that indicate Republican Party preference. When the Democratic Party voters show up to vote they are told they are not registered to vote.

This is an attack on the very fabric of our country and shows just how little respect the Republican Party has for democracy in America.

[GOP-R--Con-Men]

Republicans have shown they place allegiance to Grover Norquist and party over the love of country. Thereby proving they are undeserving of holding public office and shaping public policy.

Think about it. In 2010 republicans campaigned for congress on creating jobs. But what did they do after gaining control of the house? They began the war on women, they cause America's credit rating to be downgraded, they refused to extend unemployment benefits, they refused to allow a vote on President Obama's job act.

They have created unnecessary voter I.D. laws at the state level to suppress the vote of likely Democratic voters. I could go on and on with numeous examples of how republicans have used they public office to benefit corporations, big oil, big pharma and the super rick over struggling Americans.

Bottom line republicans have shown they are incapable and unworthy of holding public office. Now it's up to voters to vote against them like they have voted against us.

[DannieC]

How could Americans behave this way? Have they no other agenda, except to make commerce? Don't they have any respect for our founding fathers? Why don't they have any common sense about what is right or wrong?

[bluejacket2-2009]

It is ironic that the tea party has vigilante voter groups going around checking democrats on voter rolls for validity and planning on scaring minorities away at polling stations but on other hand the GOP is signing up dead people to vote...

[LMSYEM]

surprised this isn't getting more headline play.

or maybe, not surprised. it's pretty sad this isn't the top headline heading into the debates.

[widollar]

Florida is one of those GOP loving states that always cooks the elections in their favor. Fake registration, fake voter count, redistricting to favor the GOP, you name it they do it. Their governor Rick Scott is as crooked as they come. What else would you expect from these evil people.

[GOP-R--Con-Men]

Republicans are a cancer on our great nation. They have used their public office to pass unnecessary voter I.D. laws to disenfranchise millions of likely voters for Democratic candidates. Imagine the headlines if these tactics were taking place in a country America fought to give free elections. Voters must punish and reject republicans at all levels during the polls this election.

[nanc12]

I think it's hilarious that there is no indignation on the part of the repubs about this. They were oh so disturbed about Acorn, and that's why all the voter ID laws came to be supposedly. Of course, it's all about suppressing the voting rights of thousands, not about the hundreds of actual ineligible voters.
When did the repubs become so anti-American?

[Eco99]

Oh so that makes it alright then Ratified. Your hypocrisy shines through ...

[RollotheNorman]

Well, well, more RepubliCON election dirty tricks. They would really like Joe Public to forget they are the original dirty trick party. One person in each country is the story now? Sure, sure, we believe that. Folks we are not dealing with honorable men here, if anybody still has illusions. Now is the time to start going over registrations in Nevada, North Carolina, Colorado and Virginia. Better look at Ohio too.

[right2write]

"country" - how many countries are we talk'n about here

[RollotheNorman]

counties.