Editorial: Vote Fraud Allegations Need Bipartisan Consensus

This story was written by Editorial Board, Minnesota Daily

Republicans on the Senate Judiciary Committee on Monday demanded an investigation into the practices of The Association of Community Organizations for Reform. The Justice Department launched in investigation into the liberal community activist group last week, andat the last presidential debate, John McCainasked that Obama disclose his ties with the organization, saying that the group was on the verge of maybe perpetrating one of the greatest frauds in voter history in this country.

Ignoring the fact that McCains statement is historically inaccurate Election Day tests during the Jim Crow era come to mind McCain and fellow Republicans should have shown similar dismay at the Republican Parties attempt to sue the Ohio secretary of state to hand over information about voter registration there. But the Supreme Court on Friday correctly overturned a lower court decision siding with the Republican Party which might have blocked roughly 200,000 registered voters there from voting.

Whats striking about the allegations from Democrats and Republicans about allegations of voter fraud and voter registration fraud is that they have been clearly partisan. Democrats on the Senate Judiciary Committee on Monday, according to wire reports, essentially brushed aside the idea of an investigation into ACORN. Any sort of irregularities in our election process, whether systematic or from a grassroots organizing group, should be swiftly dealt with.

With record numbers of voters likely to show up at the polls this election, precincts might already be strained and thus are prone to mistake. If voting is the essential function of a democracy, then politicians should deal with any obstacles to it with unapologetic bipartisanship.