I have a close family member who lives in NYC and has for the past 4 years, but I just found out is using my address to vote here in Ohio, because it has a better chance to make a difference seeing as he’s a Republican.
If you had a family member doing this, what would YOU do? And party affiliation make a difference? I’m also kinda pissed that he’s voting on all our local issues as well, since he doesn’t even freakin’ live here, and hasn’t lived in my city since 1996. But I don’t want to turn him in and get him in trouble, especially since it’ll be damned obvious that I am the one who did it. Ugh.
Can you ask someone to “anonymously” check his records?
ie: is there anyway to get someone involved without him suspecting you, if they can simply state this is a checkup and didn’t involve you? Or is it that obvious that you two are connected that he’d know it was you?
It’s a pretty difficult situation to be in. I would first tell him that I was going to contact all relatives if he did not immediately desist in his plans (I have largely law abiding relatives who would NOT approve of his shenanigans). If this did not change his mind, I’d go ahead and contact all the relatives. If he stlll did not change his mind, I’d threaten to turn him in if he acts on it. If he still acted on it, I’d think long and hard about what the ramifications were for familial relations. Then I’d probably turn him in.
In her or his presence, I would call the Election Commission in your area and ask them how to prevent this person from committing a federal crime which would now involve you.
This is ethically no different than having knowledge of a relative planning to commit any other crime. Except that it is involving you by using your address. But substitute a monetary fraud scheme using your address as part of the plan with your foreknowledge …
I’d have no problem stating straight up that I see this as a significant crime and will not allow myself to be made into an unwilling accomplice. If you do this I will tell the authorities, please do not force me to do so. A family member unwilling to talk to me for a few years? Hell I’ve had sisters do that to me for less already.
Nobody likes a rat. Keep it within the family. Go to your local records and get proof that he is registered, then have a friend do the same in NY and photo copy the records. Send him copies of both sets and, tell him that you will show all the relatives that he has done this dastardly deed if he does it. Then if he does it, tell everyone. Don’t send him to the slam, even if he is a Republican. Ewww.
Tell him he is nuts if he thinks his one vote in Ohio is gonna make enough of a difference considering the risk he is taking committing a federal crime.
It’s like breaking into the White House to steal a piece of hard candy.
Send him an email saying that you think someone is trying to steal his identity by establishing a mailing address in Ohio and that you told the police about it.
Yeah, seriously. He should just rob a liquor store. More bang for the buck. Tell him how ludicrously small the odds of him making a difference in the presidential election are, as well as the penalty for election fraud. Hopefully, he will change his tune and save you from making a tough decision with no positive outcome for anyone.
To those who would do nothing, or keep it in the family …
I assume there other crimes that you could have foreknowledge of that you would respond to … oh a murder for an easy example. As a matter of ethics, where do you draw the line?
To be fair, there are others that I would do nothing about. I’m not so sure where I draw the line myself.
If a close family member was using my address in this way, I’d notify the Election Board as soon as I found out. I’d tell them that the only person living at my address was me. Then I’d tell the family member that I had notified the authorities of the invalid voter registration. If he/she chose to proceed with the planned voter fraud, it would his/her choice to do so and thus deal with any legal consequences. Anyone who’s a ‘close family member’ of mine knows I would do this.
Let me get this straight. He’s planning to commit voter fraud and you’re the one feeling guilty about it?
Who the hell cares if you turn him in? “Oh, Drain Bead, I can’t believe you ratted out dear old Uncle Billy!” Hello, dear old Uncle Billy (or whoever) was planning a crime. How about some “Dear old Uncle Billy, I can’t believe you’re going to commit voter fraud!”
Turn his scurvy ass in and sleep the sleep of the righteous.
The way I see it, let your local election board know of the problem, and let the relative know their cover has been blown. Nothing will probably happen at that point unless they actually try to vote, and they would be fools to proceed knowing they are going to be caught. Either way, my vote is to turn them in. I can’t think of any excuse for their actions. If they want their vote to make that difference, they can actually move to Ohio.