NEW YORK, Sept. 30, 2008
Report Raises Questions On Voter-Purging
CBS Evening News Investigates Little-Known, Problem-Ridden Process That Could Endanger Your Vote
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Play CBS Video Video Vanishing Voters A new report raises questions about a little known, yet problem-ridden process known as voter purging that could cost some Americans their right to vote. Armen Keteyian reports.
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Video Uncommitted Voters CBS News conducted a poll of about 500 uncommitted voters around the country who watched the debate. Sharyl Attkisson has the results.
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People wait in line to vote at a Hollywood, Fla., polling site as the voting begins this past January. (AP Photo/J. Pat Carter)
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Interactive Campaign 2008 Profiles of the candidates, polls, fund-raising, blogs, video and more.
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Blog Primary Source Armen Keteyian and his investigative team keep you informed daily on their blog.
A few weeks ago, Saul Mendlovitz received a letter from the state of New Jersey informing him, after 30 years, he'd suddenly vanished as a voter.
"I believe the words were: 'you are not registered to vote,'" he said. "It's egregious."
States regularly update their voter-registration rolls for accuracy - removing those who have moved, died or committed a felony. It is known as voter-purging, Keteyian reports.
But a report by the non-partisan NYU Brennan Center for Justice, obtained exclusively by CBS News offers troubling new insight into the process, calling it "chaotic," "riddled with inaccuracies" and "vulnerable to manipulation."
Michael Waldman is executive director of the center.
"Officials are making tons of errors. And, it's all happening in secret without public accountability, and that's wrong," Waldman said.
That's why, Waldman says, exact numbers are hard to uncover. But the report cites several controversial purges this year, including:
For reasons ranging from clerical errors to mistakes in matching names, addresses and criminal histories.
"We don't know all the problems but we know that there's a huge potential for partisan mischief," Waldman said.
To top it off, another new study discovered 19 states are ignoring a federal law banning systematic purges within 90 days of a federal election, including the battleground states of Colorado, Ohio and Nevada.
What can a voter do to protect themselves?
"Don't take no for an answer," Waldman advises. "Cast a provisional ballot, call a voter hotline."
As for Saul, it's still not clear why he got the letter. But he has been told he's eligible to vote.
Come Election Day, don't count on thousands of others being as fortunate.
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