Thread: Some Non-Citizens Voting In U.S. Elections

Nov 26, 2007 8:37 pm

Some Non-Citizens Voting In U.S. Elections

Chris Salcedo FORT WORTH (CBS 11 News) ― Every American's vote counts. It's a basic pillar of our electoral system.

But a CBS 11 investigation discovered that election officials can't guarantee that only American citizens vote in elections.

After the review of data from Tarrant and Dallas Counties, it appeared, at least on the surface, that some non-citizens were participating in U.S. elections.

Since 1976, 1,900 people have been removed from the voter rolls because of their citizenship status in Dallas County. Of those, 221 had voter histories.

Tarrant County election data from 2004 and 2005 shows 43 people have been removed from the voter rolls, but none had voter histories.

It appeared there was a problem. Officials admit some illegal immigrants could be seeking to participate in U.S. elections.

But, they explained, there are other explanations.

Tarrant County elections official Steve Rayborn said some legal citizens claim they are not citizens to get out of jury duty.

There are other scenarios that explain the data. Non-citizens on student or work visas might fill out registration forms by mistake.

Rayburn said that if there are non-citizens voting, he feels there are very few.

Dallas County elections official Bruce Sherbet said his elections are as clean as they can be. They follow the law when checking voter's qualifications.

He said he has tools at his disposal to check for felony convictions and someone's age. He even has tools to determine if a voter has been deemed mentally incompetent by a court of law.

However, there is no way to know if everyone who casts a ballot is a legal citizen. Under the law, there is no government check for citizenship eligibility.

The only way to determine someone's citizenship is to see which box they checked on their voter registration card.

In the last legislative session, Texas lawmakers tackled the issue.

Representative Phil King of Weatherford authored a bill that would have allowed the Secretary of State to verify citizenship using information in a data base like birth records and social security numbers.

Representative Lon Burnam of Fort Worth helped fight that bill, saying it was a tool for the "radical right" to suppress the votes of minorities and the elderly.

Representative Burnam said he believes any gains achieved by citizen verification would be outweighed by the thousands of U.S. voters who would be disenfranchised. To him, the integrity of new electronic voting machines is a bigger issue.

It is almost certain the issue will be back next session.

You can weigh in on this issue. Click here to find out how you can get in touch with your representative and let them know where you stand.

(© MMVII, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)

http://cbs11tv.com/politics/American.vo ... 96248.html

Originally Posted by Dixie

Tarrant County elections official Steve Rayborn said some legal citizens claim they are not citizens to get out of jury duty.

That has to be one of the most moronic things I've ever heard.

Representative Lon Burnam of Fort Worth helped fight that bill, saying it was a tool for the "radical right" to suppress the votes of minorities and the elderly.

Why is that? Are elderly and minority citizens denied social security numbers? Come on. Non-Rep Burman needs to say what he means ... that he thinks the illegal aliens might get caught, therefore his potentially-ill-gotten seat as a representative will be known to his constituents.

Representative Lon Burnam of Fort Worth helped fight that bill, saying it was a tool for the "radical right" to suppress the votes of minorities and the elderly.

corhanem wrote:
Why is that? Are elderly and minority citizens denied social security numbers? Come on. Non-Rep Burman needs to say what he means ... that he thinks the illegal aliens might get caught, therefore his potentially-ill-gotten seat as a representative will be known to his constituents.

I agree.

Tarrant County elections official Steve Rayborn said some legal citizens claim they are not citizens to get out of jury duty.

In Texas those called to jury duty are either selected at random from a list of voter registrations and a list of driver registrations from the county in which the person lives. Only citizens can serve on a jury. Can you imagine what a legal mess it would be if an illegal immigrant, registered to vote, served on a jury involved in a death penalty case and it was uncovered later? A person claiming to not be a citizen should be jailed and fined for voter fraud and/or have their his drivers license revoked.

Citizenship of all jury members should be proven.
I was called for federal jury duty and there was a massive blizzard the night before. Three individuals failed to report for jury duty. Within 10 minutes of the roll call, the judge issued contempt warrents for those missing three to be arrested by federal marshalls. I don't buy Mr. Rayborn's excuse that some legal citizens claim they are non citizens--then they are voting and/or driving illegally. If a citizen and lying, he can get into big trouble with the courts.

There are other scenarios that explain the data. Non-citizens on student or work visas might fill out registration forms by mistake.

Citizenship of all voters should be proved when they register.
I seriously doubt if anyone would get a Texas Voter Registration Application and "fill it out by mistake".
The form is at: http://www.sos.state.tx.us/elections/forms/vr17.pdf
It is available in Spanish.
Across the top is: Texas Voter Registration Application
It asks:
Will you be 18 years of age on or before election day?
Are you intered in serving as an election worker?
Form states:
"I understand that giving false information to procure a voter registration is perjury, and a crime under state and federal law. Conviction of this crime may result in imprisonment up to 180 day, a fine up tp $2000, or both..............."

Rayburn said that if there are non-citizens voting, he feels there are very few.

HE IS ONLY GUESSING AND ONE ILLEGAL VOTING IS ONE TOO MANY.

No part of the education of a politician is more indispensable than the fighting of elections.
Winston Churchill

added to homepage

http://www.alipac.us/article2740.html

I am from Florida, and I found this in Florida first .... but it is National.

Florida gave illegal aliens the vote in January 2006 to conform with Federal Law. That means some legal Americans votes are canceled out and do not count.

Anyone who doubts that can look at the new voter registration form under ID. See the box that can now be checked that says "NONE" ?

Then go look up the law that corresponds with that box, you will find that anyone who checks NONE as an ID is automatically accepted as a voter, in fact by law it is now mandatory they be accepted, and it is now ILLEGAL to verify citizenship of a U.S. voter per Federal Law.

Or take a look at these States Government links proving it :


ALABAMA

Alabama registration form states "SS number is requested but not required"

http://www.sos.state.al.us/downloads/el ... nvra-2.pdf

Alabama "None" provision written in bill # SB158
(with link to complete bill below)

"(b) Where an applicant for voter registration is unable to produce either a driver's license number, a non-driver's identification number, or the last four digits of the Social Security number, the state voter registration list shall assign a unique number which shall serve as the registrant's voter registration identification number. "§17-4-215 17-4-37.

http://alisdb.legislature.state.al.us/a ... /sb158.htm

.........................................

ILLINOIS

Here is the Illinois voter registration form with the "none" provision.

http://www.elections.il.gov/Downloads/V ... F/R-19.pdf

Here is a link to the Illinois House Bill HB071 , read Page 1 line 29 to Page 2 line 8.

http://www.ilga.gov/legislation/94/HB/0 ... 715eng.htm

.......................................

ARKANSAS

AR law states that if you use "none" for ID on a voter registration form you are automatically supplied an official state issued voter number, period.

Link to AR bill, read line J

http://www.sos.arkansas.gov/ar-constitu ... nd51-6.htm

.........................................

FLORIDA

Florida tells you straight out to write "None" on your registration form as an ID (other states hide it or use different terminology)

Below is a link to the Florida site that says it straight out, read "To Register You Must" , and at the bottom of the same page you can get the actual registration form.

http://election.dos.state.fl.us/regtovote/regform.shtml

........................................

FEDERAL FORM

Federal registration form , read "Box 6 - ID Number" instructions.

http://www.fec.gov/votregis/pdf/nvra.pdf


..........................................

I contacted Escambia Supervisor of elections David Stafford about this and asked him this simple question : If I snuck into this country last night from Guatemala with nothing but the clothes on my back, then showed up in your office today to register to vote using "none" as an ID, would I leave your office as a registered Florida Voter ?

His one word reply : YES

At least he was honest about it .......... In fact he was the most open and honest person I dealt with while digging in to this.

So ........

You can REGISTER to vote with no ID, and if you do it is mandatory by law that they accept your registration. You are allowed to use this "none" provision if you do not have a drivers license or Social Security card.

IE: the law was written for Illegal Aliens so they can register to vote. Otherwise why make it illegal to verify citizenship? You still have to check the box on the registration form claiming to be a citizen, but they made it illegal to verify that claim !

To cast a VOTE you need an ID .... BUT they will take most anything you buy online or make on your computer. Each state was allowed to pick what form of ID they accepted to conform with the new Federal law.

In some states you can use a fishing license, or a utility bill, or a comic book subscription, in Florida they accept a Sams Club card (bought online which shows no address) or a "workers badge" from any company (something a 5th grader can make on any home computer, and it doesn't even have to be from a real company)

The kicker is they put in the law that it is now ILLEGAL for a poll worker to verify or question whatever form of ID you bring in to actually cast a vote as long as it is on that states list of accepted ID's.

Below is a link to what I quickly threw together to get this info out over a year ago, it's written poorly but it explains everything about the feds giving illegals the vote.


http://www.unitedpatriotsofamerica.com/ ... fault.aspx

I say this time around no vote counts till every voter is verified.
Then they check it twice
Then count the votes
Then count them again.


This is America, Vote!!!
This is the most important election we will see in a long time. Lets make it count, lets do it right.