# I'm Officially a Disenfranchised Voter. **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [October 31, 2008, 11:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-officially-a-disenfranchised-voter/470510 "2008-10-31T23:21:13Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2008, 3:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-officially-a-disenfranchised-voter/470510/21 "2008-11-01T15:30:26Z")
> [@What\_the](#): > > I’ll bet they had to put alot of their resources into weeding out illegal ballots by submitted by ACORN. ACORN is required by law to submit all voter registrations received, even if they’re from “Pope John Paul III”. Otherwise, they’d be committing vote supression. They take the good ones and put them in one pile, and take the suspicious ones and put them in another pile and let the supervisor(s) of elections cancel the dirty ones. ---
**Author:** ![NurseCarmen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/5daacb/32.png) [@NurseCarmen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NurseCarmen)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2008, 3:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-officially-a-disenfranchised-voter/470510/22 "2008-11-01T15:36:59Z")
The obvious problem here, hobscrk777, is that your name sounds too _Democrat_. ---
**Author:** ![askeptic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/eb9ed0/32.png) [@askeptic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/askeptic)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2008, 4:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-officially-a-disenfranchised-voter/470510/23 "2008-11-01T16:12:52Z")
> [@Captain\_Carrot](#): > > Am I being whooshed here? No, he/she is a verified inspected and certified idiot… ---
**Author:** ![VoluntaryPlan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/9fc29f/32.png) [@VoluntaryPlan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VoluntaryPlan)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2008, 4:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-officially-a-disenfranchised-voter/470510/24 "2008-11-01T16:38:53Z")
Weird. Gwinnett County sent me my absentee ballot weeks ago here to England. On the other hand, my brother was supposed to get his in Japan and never did. ---
**Author:** ![What\_the](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/f4b2a3/32.png) [@What\_the](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_the)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2008, 4:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-officially-a-disenfranchised-voter/470510/25 "2008-11-01T16:42:00Z")
> [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](#): > > ACORN is required by law to submit all voter registrations received, even if they’re from “Pope John Paul III”. Otherwise, they’d be committing vote supression. > > They take the good ones and put them in one pile, and take the suspicious ones and put them in another pile and let the supervisor(s) of elections cancel the dirty ones. Why don’t they just train the idiots they hire better… or make an attempt to weed out the losers who put down false names themselves? ---
**Author:** ![Brown\_Eyed\_Girl](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/brown_eyed_girl/32/3574_2.png) [@Brown\_Eyed\_Girl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Brown_Eyed_Girl)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2008, 4:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-officially-a-disenfranchised-voter/470510/26 "2008-11-01T16:52:27Z")
> [@What\_the](#): > > Why don’t they just train the idiots they hire better… or make an attempt to weed out the losers who put down false names themselves? Right because all losers put signs on their front doors identifying them as such. ---
**Author:** ![askeptic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/eb9ed0/32.png) [@askeptic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/askeptic)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2008, 4:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-officially-a-disenfranchised-voter/470510/27 "2008-11-01T16:53:47Z")
> [@What\_the](#): > > Why don’t they just train the idiots they hire better… or make an attempt to weed out the losers who put down false names themselves? Yeah, why don’t [they?](http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-fraud20-2008oct20,0,3842357.story) > [@](#): > > The owner of a firm that the California Republican Party hired to register tens of thousands of voters this year was arrested in Ontario over the weekend on suspicion of voter registration fraud. Remind me again just how many ACORN officials have been arrested? ---
**Author:** ![Brown\_Eyed\_Girl](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/brown_eyed_girl/32/3574_2.png) [@Brown\_Eyed\_Girl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Brown_Eyed_Girl)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2008, 6:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-officially-a-disenfranchised-voter/470510/28 "2008-11-01T18:16:56Z")
Wow. **What the … !!!** , you’re gonna have to try harder then that. What do you think this is? Some wingnut blog comment section? ---
**Author:** ![Great\_Dave](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/46a35a/32.png) [@Great\_Dave](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Great_Dave)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2008, 7:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-officially-a-disenfranchised-voter/470510/29 "2008-11-01T19:58:51Z")
> [@RickJay](#): > > I just don’t get it. Why can you not show up with a few pieces of ID that prove you’re American and your residence, and vote? Why is it made so goddamned hard to vote down there? > [@Biffy the Elephant Shrew](#): > > ``` > Can you at least show up at a local polling place and ask to cast a provisional ballot? > > ``` > [@hobscrk777](#): > > I’m Officially a Disenfranchised Voter. > I still haven’t received my absentee ballot as of today, and it’s too late to be able to receive it and send it back at this point. I am absolutely furious! It makes me just want to scream, “GOD DAMN MOTHERFUCKING HORSE SHIT!!!” I want to vote, I earnestly want to. **I’ve done everything in my power to try to vote in this election short of flying home to cast my ballot.** bolding mine ---
**Author:** ![What\_the](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/f4b2a3/32.png) [@What\_the](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_the)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2008, 2:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-officially-a-disenfranchised-voter/470510/30 "2008-11-02T14:25:08Z")
> [@Brown\_Eyed\_Girl](#): > > Wow. **What the … !!!** , you’re gonna have to try harder then that. What do you think this is? Some wingnut blog comment section? Try to do what? Convince someone of something? ---
**Author:** ![askeptic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/eb9ed0/32.png) [@askeptic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/askeptic)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2008, 2:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-officially-a-disenfranchised-voter/470510/31 "2008-11-02T14:26:40Z")
> [@askeptic](#): > > No, he/she is a verified inspected and certified idiot… > [@What\_the](#): > > Try to do what? Convince someone of something? Case closed. ---
**Author:** ![wonky](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wonky/32/393_2.png) [@wonky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wonky)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2008, 3:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-officially-a-disenfranchised-voter/470510/32 "2008-11-02T15:24:11Z")
> [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](#): > > ACORN is required by law to submit all voter registrations received, even if they’re from “Pope John Paul III”. _gasp_ Does Carol Stream know? ---
**Author:** ![The\_Tao\_s\_Revenge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/73ab20/32.png) [@The\_Tao\_s\_Revenge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Tao_s_Revenge)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2008, 3:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-officially-a-disenfranchised-voter/470510/33 "2008-11-02T15:50:59Z")
> [@Great\_Dave](#): > > bolding mine There’s a variety of reasons that might not be possible. Under my own resources, if for some reason, I had to go to California to vote there’s no way I could. Some people have obligations for which they can’t just take off half way across the country easily either. ---
**Author:** ![askeptic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/eb9ed0/32.png) [@askeptic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/askeptic)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2008, 3:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-officially-a-disenfranchised-voter/470510/34 "2008-11-02T15:53:49Z")
> [@jsgoddess](#): > > _gasp_ Does Carol Stream know? I don’t know, maybe we should have a multi page thread with good arguments backed up with reliable cites to present all the evidence…oh, wait… ---
**Author:** ![Great\_Dave](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/46a35a/32.png) [@Great\_Dave](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Great_Dave)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2008, 4:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-officially-a-disenfranchised-voter/470510/35 "2008-11-02T16:22:25Z")
> [@The\_Tao\_s\_Revenge](#): > > There’s a variety of reasons that might not be possible. > > Under my own resources, if for some reason, I had to go to California to vote there’s no way I could. Some people have obligations for which they can’t just take off half way across the country easily either. I think you’re agreeing with me. I was pointing out that the OP has to vote absentee by mail, which seems to have escaped the notice of those whom I quoted. ---
**Author:** ![Cervaise](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cervaise/32/16693_2.png) [@Cervaise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cervaise)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2008, 4:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-officially-a-disenfranchised-voter/470510/36 "2008-11-02T16:24:11Z")
> [@What\_the](#): > > Try to do what? Kickstart your brain, how about? ---
**Author:** ![cochrane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cochrane/32/10441_2.png) [@cochrane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cochrane)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2008, 6:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-officially-a-disenfranchised-voter/470510/37 "2008-11-02T18:44:30Z")
> [@Mama\_Zappa](#): > > Actually, the OP doesn’t say that _he_ (she?) put the wrong address down the first time. I think it’s entirely reasonable to assume that the GEVRO took care of that for him, given their utter cluelessness about returning calls etc. > [@hobscrk777](#): > > October 1: **I send another email to the GCEVRO to let them know that I left a digit off of my street address. Admittedly, this was a serious error on my part.** I include the corrected address in this email. (bolding mine) Actually, **hobscrk777** did admit to giving the GCEVRO an incorrect street address the first time. That doesn’t explain the failure of the P.O. to deliver it the second time to the correct address. ---
**Author:** ![Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e47c2d/32.png) [@Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biffy_the_Elephant_Shrew)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2008, 8:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-officially-a-disenfranchised-voter/470510/38 "2008-11-02T20:34:34Z")
> [@Great\_Dave](#): > > I was pointing out that the OP has to vote absentee by mail, which seems to have escaped the notice of those whom I quoted. And the word “local” in my quoted post appears to have escaped yours. He can submit a provisional ballot at a polling place other than the precinct he’s registered in, though I don’t know what the geographical limitations of that are. ---
**Author:** ![Mama\_Zappa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/71e660/32.png) [@Mama\_Zappa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mama_Zappa)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2008, 9:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-officially-a-disenfranchised-voter/470510/39 "2008-11-02T21:07:49Z")
> [@cochrane](#): > > (bolding mine) > > Actually, **hobscrk777** did admit to giving the GCEVRO an incorrect street address the first time. That doesn’t explain the failure of the P.O. to deliver it the second time to the correct address. :smack: you are correct. I missed that when I quickly reread the OP. ---
**Author:** ![Great\_Dave](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/46a35a/32.png) [@Great\_Dave](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Great_Dave)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2008, 10:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-officially-a-disenfranchised-voter/470510/40 "2008-11-02T22:18:58Z")
> [@Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](#): > > And the word “local” in my quoted post appears to have escaped yours. He can submit a provisional ballot at a polling place other than the precinct he’s registered in, though I don’t know what the geographical limitations of that are. My understanding of provisional ballots is that they are for people who show up at their precinct and find that they aren’t on the rolls, not for anyone, anywhere, to vote. The logistics of what you propose are unfeasible. I took your response to mean that since he tried to vote absentee, perhaps to vote early, or because he would be too busy to make it to the polls, he could vote provisionally at a location in his county, or something. If he has to fly, I would suspect that he’s in a jurisdiction beyond where that would be an option. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-officially-a-disenfranchised-voter/470510.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-officially-a-disenfranchised-voter/470510.md?page=3)