Election fraud: Voting twice in different districts?

[Melbourne]

@jtur88

Banana republics that suddenly got the urge to vote had no trouble with this. When you vote, you put your thumb in an inkwell. One thumb, one vote.

India still has a problem with vote fraud, and inked thumbs is not a complete solution.

[watchwolf49]

@k9bfriender

Is that really legal? I would have though it is not. I would have hoped it would be quite illegal.
Asking you r advice, even reading off a sample ballot you have prepared is fine, but if you are actually the one filling out their ballots, that’s gotta violate some laws … [snip]

@k9bfriender

There are specific provisions for voters that require assistance due to disability that is already covered by the law. That is a different matter entirely.

This has nothing to do with the disabled, but only to do with those too lazy to fill in their own bubbles … [snip]

@k9bfriender

Because you are filling out someone else’s ballot. You are voting for people that they may not necessarily have voted for. You are voting when they may not have necessarily (and by your statement, likely) have voted at all … [snip]

@Johnny_Bravo

Yes, what watchwolf is doing is highly unethical. It’s exactly what the “associations” of the mid-1800s were about, and what formed the backbones of the political machines. Local individuals who could “command” a certain number of votes - not only make sure that votes were going in a certain direction but also ensuring that the voters made it to the polls … [snip]

@commasense

Although all this is something of a diversion from my OP’s main focus, I agree with k9bfriender and Johnny Bravo that watchwolf49’s behavior, as he has described it, is improper, unethical, and possibly illegal. For me, the real issue that watchwolf49 hasn’t really answered is the agency of the people whose ballots he’s filling out … [snip]

Yes, this did turn into something of a hijack … and I apologize … I was actually caught off guard at the condemnation, people around here think it’s a good idea generally. Anyway, I promised to come back once I had the ballots in hand and tonight I was going to start filling out the ones I have so far.

Only the voter can remove mail from their mailbox, these people have proactively chased me down to hand me their ballot. The outside only was the warning about making sure the ballot gets sent back through the mail system if the voter doesn’t live there anymore … one person, one vote and all. The list of measures just warns about getting the ballot in the Election Office by 8pm Election Day, next day’s mail don’t count.

The ballot itself carries a fairly obvious warning: “Any person who, by use of force of other means, unduly influences an elector to vote in any particular manner or to refrain from voting is subject to a fine. (ORS 254.470)”. This does not say a voter can’t have someone else fill out the ballot, for whatever reasons.

Last is the signature block, and this statement:

          VOTER'S STATEMENT

By Signing I Certify That:
[ul]
[li]I am a United States Citizen;[/li][li]I am the person to whom this ballot was issued;[/li][li]I am legally qualified to vote this ballot;[/li][li]This is the only ballot I have voted this election.[/li][/ul]

… then sign …

I’m sorry, there’s nothing here to say who can or can’t fill out the ballot … looks like several have searched the statutes and found nothing. If this seems unethical in your eyes, well, you’re entitled. I’m more or the ilk of personal freedoms, the voter can choose however they wish, and in whatever method they choose, and We the People don’t even have a right to know why.

Excuse me, please, while I help send Hillary her 7 Electoral Votes …

[commasense]

watchwolf49: I strongly urge you not to send in those ballots. What you described is, in fact, illegal, and a Class C felony.

ORS 260.715(3) A person may not vote or attempt to vote more than once at any election held on the same date. By completing another person’s ballot, whether with their permission or not, the person completing the other’s ballot has voted more than once at an election held on the same date and is in violation of election law. Furthermore, any individual who then signs the envelope stating that “this is the only ballot I have voted this election” may also be in violation of ORS 260.715(1) which prohibits a person from knowingly making a false statement. Certainly the individual who votes others’ ballots and their own is in violation of it. If a person is being paid to complete another person’s ballot, then there is a possible violation of ORS 260.715(9) which prohibits a person from selling or purchasing, for money or other valuable consideration, any official ballot, replacement ballot, return identification envelope or secrecy envelope. All these violations can result in a criminal penalty under ORS 260.993. Violations of ORS 260.715 is a Class C felony.

[engineer_comp_geek]

Moderator Action

I am temporarily closing this while we discuss some of the legal issues.