# Republican Strategy: Voter Intimidation
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/republican-strategy-voter-intimidation/270767
**Category:** The BBQ Pit
**Created:** [October 23, 2004, 2:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/republican-strategy-voter-intimidation/270767 "2004-10-23T14:35:59Z")
**Posts on this page:** 20
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@WernhamHogg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WernhamHogg)
#### Post date: [October 23, 2004, 2:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/republican-strategy-voter-intimidation/270767/1 "2004-10-23T14:35:59Z")
We can’t win fair and square, so let’s bully people who want to vote Kerry.
> **[Big G.O.P. Bid to Challenge Voters at Polls in Key State (Published 2004)](https://www.nytimes.com/2004/10/23/politics/campaign/big-gop-bid-to-challenge-voters-at-polls-in-key-state.html)**
>
> Republican Party officials in Ohio took formal steps yesterday to place thousands of recruits inside polling places on Election Day to challenge the qualifications of voters they suspect are not eligible to cast ballots. Party officials say their...
This is nothing but voter intimidation. The fuckers can’t win fair and square, so they’re hiring thugs to bully the voters in Democratic precints. This is anti-democratic, plain and simple.
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### Author:  [@ivylass](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ivylass)
#### Post date: [October 23, 2004, 2:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/republican-strategy-voter-intimidation/270767/2 "2004-10-23T14:48:07Z")
Maybe they’re afraid they’ll get away with [this?](http://www.wcpo.com/news/2004/local/09/23/voterfraud.html)
And we have Michael Moore going to Florida for the same [thing.](http://www.worldnetdaily.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=39688)
This is an ugly election. Both sides are claiming fraud and intimidation, and both sides have huge post-election litigation warchests.
We’re not going to know the winner on November 3.
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### Author:  [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)
#### Post date: [October 23, 2004, 2:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/republican-strategy-voter-intimidation/270767/3 "2004-10-23T14:57:40Z")
> [@](#):
>
> Republican Party officials in Ohio took formal steps yesterday to place thousands of recruits inside polling places on Election Day to challenge the qualifications of voters they suspect are not eligible to cast ballots.
Voters they “suspect” are not eligible? What the hell does that mean? What does a “suspicious” voter look like?
Oh wait…I know…they’re black, right?
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### Author:  [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)
#### Post date: [October 23, 2004, 3:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/republican-strategy-voter-intimidation/270767/4 "2004-10-23T15:00:42Z")
Come on Pubbies, you really have to be fucking ashamed of your own fucking party.
Is this how you really want to win? By harassing black people at the polls or challenging every single person as a stalling tactic? Why don’t you just bring back poll taxes?
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### Author:  [@ivylass](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ivylass)
#### Post date: [October 23, 2004, 3:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/republican-strategy-voter-intimidation/270767/5 "2004-10-23T15:06:50Z")
As I stated, there is cause for [concern](http://www.10tv.com/Global/story.asp?S=2458796). The voter registration in Ohio is not as clean as it should be.
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### Author:  [@ivylass](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ivylass)
#### Post date: [October 23, 2004, 3:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/republican-strategy-voter-intimidation/270767/6 "2004-10-23T15:10:17Z")
This is going to be a very ugly [election](http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/local/palmbeach/sfl-pglitch23oct23,0,3825651,print.story?coll=sfla-news-palm). There’s plenty of blame to go around.
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### Author:  [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)
#### Post date: [October 23, 2004, 3:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/republican-strategy-voter-intimidation/270767/7 "2004-10-23T15:14:17Z")
There is no cause for concern. The GOP is just trying to cheat again.
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### Author:  [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)
#### Post date: [October 23, 2004, 3:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/republican-strategy-voter-intimidation/270767/8 "2004-10-23T15:20:48Z")
Minnesota is a swing state too. I wonder if they’re going to post these Bushtapo agents at our polls as well. I almost _want_ one of these Nazis to try to fuck with my right to vote.
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### Author:  [@Liberal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Liberal)
#### Post date: [October 23, 2004, 3:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/republican-strategy-voter-intimidation/270767/9 "2004-10-23T15:28:19Z")
Metaphysical quandary: If you almost do, does that mean that you substantially don’t? 😃
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### Author:  [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)
#### Post date: [October 23, 2004, 3:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/republican-strategy-voter-intimidation/270767/10 "2004-10-23T15:29:54Z")
> [@Liberal](#):
>
> Metaphysical quandary: If you almost do, does that mean that you substantially don’t? 😃
It means I want to be careful what I wish for. 😉
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### Author:  [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)
#### Post date: [October 23, 2004, 3:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/republican-strategy-voter-intimidation/270767/11 "2004-10-23T15:31:01Z")
Hey, **Ivy** ,
What does a “suspicious” voter look like?
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### Author:  [@vetbridge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vetbridge)
#### Post date: [October 23, 2004, 3:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/republican-strategy-voter-intimidation/270767/12 "2004-10-23T15:36:02Z")
> [@skutir](#):
>
> We can’t win fair and square, so let’s bully people who want to vote Kerry.
Meanwhile, I heard a news story this morning about Dem attempts to limit votes (in some way) from people in the military (who traditionally vote repub). We can’t win fair and square, so let’s bully people who want to vote Bush.
I have been an “undecided” voter since before the Democratic primaries. Personally, at this point I wouldn’t piss on either candidate if they were ablaze. I have never felt more unwanted. ☹
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### Author:  [@Dangerosa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dangerosa)
#### Post date: [October 23, 2004, 3:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/republican-strategy-voter-intimidation/270767/13 "2004-10-23T15:38:18Z")
> [@Diogenes the Cynic](#):
>
> Minnesota is a swing state too. I wonder if they’re going to post these Bushtapo agents at our polls as well. I almost _want_ one of these Nazis to try to fuck with my right to vote.
Minnesota has very liberal “who can vote” bills on the books. Our Secretary of State tried to change them (may her husband rot in hell - personal thing not at all related to her being Secretary of State), but didn’t. Its really hard to challenge people who only need one other person saying “yeah, they live in the precinct” and a peice of mail - same day registration.
On the other hand, from the GOP point of view, that makes voter fraud easy to pull off here as well.
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### Author:  [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)
#### Post date: [October 23, 2004, 3:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/republican-strategy-voter-intimidation/270767/14 "2004-10-23T15:54:10Z")
> [@vetbridge](#):
>
> Meanwhile, I heard a news story this morning about Dem attempts to limit votes (in some way) from people in the military (who traditionally vote repub). We can’t win fair and square, so let’s bully people who want to vote Bush.
Cite?
Would this have anything to do with the absentee ballots that were illegally let in after the deadline last time around?
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### Author:  [@treis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/treis)
#### Post date: [October 23, 2004, 4:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/republican-strategy-voter-intimidation/270767/15 "2004-10-23T16:00:03Z")
> [@Diogenes the Cynic](#):
>
> There is no cause for concern. The GOP is just trying to cheat again.
> [@](#):
>
> The Republican challenges in Ohio have already begun. Yesterday, party officials submitted a list of about \*\* 35,000 registered voters \*\* whose mailing addresses, the Republicans said, were questionable. After registering, they said, each of the voters was mailed a notice, and in each case the notice was returned to election officials as \*\* undeliverable \*\*.
You don’t think that 35000 registered voters with possibly bogus addresses is cause for concern?
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### Author:  [@vetbridge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vetbridge)
#### Post date: [October 23, 2004, 4:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/republican-strategy-voter-intimidation/270767/16 "2004-10-23T16:01:53Z")
> [@Diogenes the Cynic](#):
>
> Cite?
>
> Would this have anything to do with the absentee ballots that were illegally let in after the deadline last time around?
Sorry, no cite. Radio news on the way in to work today and I was only half listening. But yes I think that your thoughts on absentee ballots is what was being discussed.
At this point in the process I am close to giving up. Neither candidate is entirely honest (IMHO) and I am prolly gonna vote libertarian as a “protest” vote although I do not believe in doing that.
If a 3rd party played their cards right, this election could be used to their advantage.
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### Author:  [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)
#### Post date: [October 23, 2004, 4:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/republican-strategy-voter-intimidation/270767/17 "2004-10-23T16:21:51Z")
> [@treis](#):
>
> You don’t think that 35000 registered voters with possibly bogus addresses is cause for concern?
Not especially. You don’t need an address to vote.
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### Author:  [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)
#### Post date: [October 23, 2004, 4:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/republican-strategy-voter-intimidation/270767/18 "2004-10-23T16:40:52Z")
Edina, **Dio**. The Pubbies regularly dredge up homeless Edina residents and register them to vote, offering a decent chardonnay or a wedge of brie.
We’re counting on you! Take your passport, and some bail money.
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### Author:  [@NurseCarmen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NurseCarmen)
#### Post date: [October 23, 2004, 4:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/republican-strategy-voter-intimidation/270767/19 "2004-10-23T16:43:16Z")
> [@previous cite](#):
>
> “What causes some of this to happen is that people are being paid to register new voters”
I really am not a fan of this. Occums razor. It’s _not_ organized fraud, as is being claimed, it’s shady workers lining their pockets.
I don’t think the OPs article is about intimidation. It’s all about slowing down the voting process in heavily Democratic precincts. Hoping to discourage and delay.
I’d be interested in seeing the post election stats on challenges as it breaks down per precinct.
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### Author:  [@NurseCarmen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NurseCarmen)
#### Post date: [October 23, 2004, 4:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/republican-strategy-voter-intimidation/270767/20 "2004-10-23T16:45:49Z")
> [@elucidator](#):
>
> Edina, **Dio**. The Pubbies regularly dredge up homeless Edina residents and register them to vote, offering a decent chardonnay or a wedge of brie.
Homeless in Edina = those with a foundation size of less than 1800 sq feet, right?
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