September 21, 2006

More on Voter Registration Fraud

"The political party affiliation of dozens of Inland voters was switched to Republican without their knowledge during recent GOP-funded registration drives already under scrutiny for producing incomplete and other suspicious voter-registration cards, a new review of the records found.

An analysis of voter records by The Press-Enterprise reveals problems with registration cards collected in late 2005 and early 2006. The unauthorized party changes, which number at least 37, are greater than the handful identified by county election offices in recent months.

Meanwhile, the months-long investigations by the state and the San Bernardino County district attorney's office into suspicious voter registrations have yet to produce any criminal charges. Those investigations prompted GOP leaders to shut down registration pushes earlier this year.

Last week, the office of San Bernardino County District Attorney Michael Ramos gave its investigation results to the secretary of state's office. Officials declined to say if the district attorney's six-month inquiry uncovered any suspected fraud.
Greg Vojtko / The Press-Enterprise
Clifford Schaeffer, 24, a Cal State San Bernardino history major, stands outside the Student Union. Schaeffer said he was approached at this location, declined to re-register as a Republican, but later showed up as one on voter rolls.

Voter-registration drives have been a key part of the Republican strategy in the fast-growing Inland region, where Democrats once outnumbered Republicans. The area is now viewed as a region where the GOP can offset Democrats' coastal strength.

Also, party leaders can point to boosts in Republican registration as a reason for donors to give more money.

Inland Democrats expressed frustration about the lack of criminal charges against anyone involved in the GOP registration drives.

Mark Shepherd, past chairman of the San Bernardino County Democratic Central Committee, said he met with election officials several weeks ago to discuss the issue.

"I have confidence that they see it as a serious, serious thing. But it's been, what, seven months already and we haven't heard one person being held accountable? I don't get it," Shepherd said. "I've been very disappointed."

Investigators also apparently have not contacted the man behind most of the registrations collected during that push, John Burkett."

The story is here.

Posted by Randy Riddle at September 21, 2006 09:20 AM