Red Flag On Purging Voter Rolls

CBS Evening News Investigates Little-Known, Problem-Ridden Process That Could Endanger Your Vote

(CBS)  This story was written by Investigative Producer Pia Malbran.

---

With Election Day rapidly approaching, a new report, obtained exclusively by CBS News chief investigative correspondent Armen Keteyian, raises serious questions and exposes flaws in the way states maintain their voter registration rolls.

States and counties regularly update their voter registration rolls for accuracy, removing people who have moved, died, or committed a felony. It is known as "voter purging."

But, the new report by the non-partisan public policy and law institute, the Brennan Center for Justice at New York University School of Law provides troubling new insight into the process. There are no national standards and as a result, the cleaning up of voter rolls is not as precise as it should be and eligible voters are often wrongly removed.

The Brennan report calls the nationwide process "chaotic," "shrouded in secrecy", "riddled with inaccuracies", "prone to error" and "vulnerable to manipulation."

"What's wrong with the process is it's happening in secret. It's happening with no accountability," Michael Waldman, the center’s executive director, told CBS News.

---

Read the Brennan Center report on voter purges

---

"Officials are making tons of errors, and voters aren't given a chance to correct the errors," he said.

Waldman also says some voters will show up on Nov. 4 who are supposed to be registered to vote and will be told they are not listed that way. If that happens, he says, “don't take 'no' for an answer. Cast a provisional ballot and call a voter hotline.”

The numbers of purges that occurred are hard to uncover and often are not known until after an election. But, the report cites several controversial purges this year so far.

For example, in Muscogee County in Georgia, the report says, a county official purged 700 people from voter lists for criminal convictions. Many of the people who received letters informing them of the purge, however, had never even received a parking ticket. In Mississippi, a local election official recently discovered that another official had wrongly purged 10,000 voters “from her home computer.”

The reasons for wrongly purging eligible voters ranges from clerical errors to mistakes in matching names, addresses and criminal histories. Waldman says there’s a “huge potential for partisan mischief" and manipulation.

Another study, by the group U.S. PIRG, released last week, also looked at the issue of voter purging and discovered that 19 states are ignoring a federal law banning systematic purges within 90 days of a federal election. The 19 states include battleground states of Colorado, Ohio and Nevada.

As a solution, the Brennan Center recommends that in the future the government implement a nationwide universal voter-registration system.

Waldman said: "when you register once, you stay registered. The government keeps the list. You can prevent fraud. You can prevent people who aren't eligible from voting. But everybody who's eligible gets to vote.”

Doing something like this could add up to 50 million more people to the voter rolls every year.

He said: "Every eligible citizen should know that on Election Day they can show up to vote, without worrying whether their name's on the list."

[carynstl]

"It''s not who votes that counts, It''s who counts the votes" - Joseph Stalin

[lassintucson]

I get so disgusted with voters. First the States decide the purge. We have more Democratic Governors than we ever had before. If people would get themselves educated, we surely would not be in the mess we are in. It is time for accountability and responsibility, if we want a Democracy take it up with your Governors.

[indianaman13]

Republicans have been doing these sort of things since Nixon. Dems have only had 2 presidents in the last 40 years. For the direction this country has taken the last 40 years I place the blame squarely at the feet of the Republicans. They''ve been in office longer.

[chabuka-2009]

You conservative voters....these are rigged for the GOP to win..not for the DNC....it means McCain will win..not Obama...that should make you happy....its how we got G.W. Bush..remember to sign up for Bomb, Bomb, Bomb...Iran..(unless of course you get drafted, instead)

[pumawoman1]

What is the legal recourse for voters in the 19 states that are purging the roles illegally?

[paigeinpa]

Make your vote count...dont take no for an answer...call the voter hotline 1.866.MYVOTE1

dont allow anyone to steal your voice!

in addition...dont wear ANY candidate paro to the voting booth...the officials can stop you..its a lil sleeping law that im sure will be enacted this election..

Obama/Biden 08

[triumph110]

The republicans are trying to steal this election any way they can. For examples of this see www.republicantricks.com

[4avocats]

It is easier to register to vote (and to vote) than it is to rent a video at Blockbuster. It''s a joke already; "purging" is only one of many problems. But perish the thought that anyone would want potential voters to establish their identity--oh no--that would be terrible!

[jab232]

Voter purging is happening all over the nation, and it is happening most of all to minorities and the poor. Why not say out loud what you refused to say--Republicans are working hard to purge Democratic voters from minorities and the poor. It is happening, not just in Ohio and Georgia and the like, but in a whole lot of places. In my own state, during the 2004 election the polls closed with urban blacks still in line waiting to vote. And of course the Republicans came out on top.

[walt1944-2009]

Why do I smell a neocon Fascist National Socialist Nazi Republican conspiracy in this??

It''s a well known fact that the GOP has been "caging" voter rolls for the past 20 years, despite a court order forbidding them to do it (neocon Fascist Nazi Republicans ALWAYS think they are ABOVE THE LAW!).

And with their senile old fossil and his ditz-head running mate losing ground in the polls, the GOP is pulling out the "Karl Rove''s How to Win an Election" text book to come up with dirty, sneaky ways to do just that!

SIG HEIL, LET''S GET THE NEOCON FASCIST SUPREME COURT INVOLVED!, BUSH!!!
sig heil, NO ONE UNDERSTANDS!!!, McBush!!!
sig heil, I''VE READ LOTS OF MAGAZINES ON FOREIGN AFFAIRS, I JUST DON''T REMEMBER WHAT THEY WERE!!!, Palin!!!

[klezmerband]

The much broader story of the incumbent party''s single-minded efforts to retain power through legal, quasi-legal and illegal means has not yet been broken by the mainstream media. If you were Mr. Rove, and your job were to insure a "permanent Republican majority," and you hated Democrats and liberals and considered the Executive branch to be above the law, what WOULDN''T you do to stay in power? Mr. Rove is in contempt of court while this question goes unanswered, and in the meantime we approach a critical election with hackable voting machines (as reported by the nonpartisan GAO), vote caging and vote purging. Wake up and report!

[klezmerband]

The much broader story of the incumbent party''s single-minded efforts to retain power through legal, quasi-legal and illegal means has not yet been broken by the mainstream media. If you were Mr. Rove, and your job were to insure a "permanent Republican majority," and you hated Democrats and liberals and considered the Executive branch to be above the law, what WOULDN''T you do to stay in power? Mr. Rove is in contempt of court while this question goes unanswered, and in the meantime we approach a critical election with hackable voting machines (as reported by the nonpartisan GAO), vote caging and vote purging. Wake up and report!

[drprescrip]

Government institutions and policies are controlled by the super ultra rich of the world. What difference could this make anyway?

[jetsgirlny]

Thanks for FINALLY informing the CBS Evening News viewers about this crucial issue in our elections!
Most of the well informed citizens do know of Greg Palast... he''s been trying to get the media to cover his work for years! Please invite him as a guest on your show with Robert Kennedy Jr. They both have worked on this issue for years! Now they have a new project together that would benefit all VOTERS for this historic election! For those reading this on this forum you may watch their YouTube video clip and visit their website for more info!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IAr4PKwo5Kg
http://www.gregpalast.com

[mediawatch50]

The MSM has in fact covered the birth certificate "controversy". The unanimous conclusion is that it is a load of ****: http://www.newsweek.com/id/154599 ..... This article was published on the same day that the PA kook filed his lawsuit. Republicans will continue to point frantically at right-wing blogs in order to avoid talking about issues. Republicans hate democracy. Republicans hate an informed electorate. The Republican mantra: "Stay ignorant, and don''t try to vote."

[jetsgirlny]

Thanks for FINALLY informing the CBS Evening News viewers about this crucial issue in our elections!
Most of the well informed citizens do know of Greg Palast... he''s been trying to get the media to cover his work for years! Please invite him as a guest on your show with Robert Kennedy Jr. They both have worked on this issue for years! Now they have a new project together that would benefit all VOTERS for this historic election! For those reading this on this forum you may watch their YouTube video clip and visit their website for more info!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IAr4PKwo5Kg
http://www.gregpalast.com

[ohmichael]

to join the republonazi party you must bring proof you are an incureable paranoid schizophrenic.

[impeach__w]

I bet they would have no trouble locating the draft registration card half of us signed the day we regestered to vote

[mediawatch50]

Spin, spin, spin: http://www.newsweek.com/id/161218 .....Republicans hate democracy, and they hate the truth about themselves, too.

[bigwig51]

Another study, by the group U.S. PIRG, released last week, also looked at the issue of voter purging and discovered that 19 states are ignoring a federal law banning systematic purges within 90 days of a federal election. The 19 states include battleground states of Colorado, Ohio and Nevada.

there needs to be a federal investigation into this and the people responsible should be arrested and tried.