Comments on: Despite Coleman-Franken fallout, Pawlenty scotched election reform

By: Ellison Introduces National Same-Day Voter Registration Bill | GSA Schedule Services

Thu, 29 Oct 2009 21:40:05 +0000

[...] see voter-turnout rates as much as 7 percent higher than others. North Dakota is the only state to do without voter registration [...]

By: News From Underground: Fox op says NO WAY to Internet voting (& more from DVN)

Fri, 29 May 2009 18:56:58 +0000

[...] MN: Despite Coleman-Franken fallout, Pawlenty scotched all election reform http://minnesotaindependent.com/35557/pawlenty-veto-election-reform-omnibus MN: Minn. group sues over voter registration records [...]

By: Rick

Rick — Fri, 29 May 2009 08:30:39 +0000

Oh please. Now we’re offended at the word “scotched?” And I’ve never heard of the tie with Scotch tape being an epithet regarding Scots. C’mon.
On another note, voter ID reform is needed. Twice Blessed is 100% correct. Both of my parents are election judges and the stories I hear from them boggle the mind. I guess there is good news out there though:
Minnesota Majority Sues Election Officials Over Election Integrity
Vote Totals Don’t Reconcile – Unable to Account for More Than 400,000 Votes.
http://www.minnesotamajority.org/Portals/0/documents/ComplaintFinal.pdf
Minnesota Majority, joined by several state legislators and concerned citizens, launched a lawsuit in the Minnesota Supreme Court today, charging that Secretary of State Mark Ritchie and 25 county election have failed to comply with election laws. The action was announced in a press conference this morning.

The lawsuit is based upon research recently conducted by Minnesota Majority. We compared the Minnesota Statewide Voter Registration System (SVRS) to the official 2008 State Canvassing Board Report (SCBR) and discovered a discrepancy of over 400,000 votes. Further investigation revealed that voter history updates have not been posted in over 800 precincts spanning 25 counties. Both the SVRS and the SCBR were provided by the Minnesota Secretary of State’s office. In late April, Bert Black, legal counsel to Secretary of State Mark Ritchie, told Minnesota Majority that SVRS voter history updates pertaining to the 2008 general election had been completed by all counties, but the data on the SVRS disk provided showed that not to be the case.
Minnesota Majority has advocated for improvements in the integrity of Minnesota’s electoral process since we initially discovered inconsistencies in voter registration records in October 2008. Specific reform measures, such as voter ID controls and independent audits, were introduced in the 2009 legislative session, but were defeated by the DFL-controlled state legislature.

And people complain about Pawlenty??? Just look at the winner we have as a Secretary of State. Ritchie has done nothing but tiptoe around the law since he took office. Yes, voter fraud is rife in this state, and the DFL was given the opportunity to address it, but smartly did not thus avoiding killing their “cash cow.” Now it’s time for them to “man up.”

By: Smartie

Smartie — Thu, 28 May 2009 20:26:24 +0000

Actually, Chris, I don't think you have anything to apologize for. According to Wiktionary the verb "scotch" derives from a middle English word meaning "to cut". No slurs involved. This reminds me of another controversy with a similar misunderstanding at its heart. Sometimes I think people are looking to be offended.

By: Chris Steller

Chris Steller — Thu, 28 May 2009 19:14:35 +0000

Don’t know why that word popped into my head, Out of State, and thanks for pointing out a national slur lurking in its use. i should have known, having just learned that the name for Scotch tape originated as an epithet against Scots. Don’t know for sure that that’s true, but Scotch tape is a good Minnesota product (3M) … which is part of the reason the verb appealed to me. Apologies to all fellow Scots out there, won’t use it again.

By: Paul

Paul — Thu, 28 May 2009 18:18:35 +0000

And nice job to you, Out of State, in providing a link to educate us hillbillies.

By: Out of State

Out of State — Thu, 28 May 2009 18:15:44 +0000

Scotched? Is no one in Minnesota aware of the bigotry in that word? Nice job, MI…
That said, Pawlenty apparently LOVES the Franken-Coleman situation. His actions say, “Let’s have more of this painful electoral waiting and litigation.” He can groom himself all he wants for 2012 (get Palin on the ticket with him, eh?), but he’s a giant loser. Even Arnold here in California isn’t that big a disgrace.

By: Randy

Randy — Thu, 28 May 2009 18:08:19 +0000

“The reforms being called for were entirely partisan because they were not balanced with someting that the Republicans want.” Never mind that the reforms may have had merit on their own, Republicans opposed them only because they wanted their way on another issue.

That is one of the most pathetic justifications I have ever heard in my life.

By: Gremlin

Gremlin — Thu, 28 May 2009 12:56:07 +0000

Pawlenty’s suggestion that the Legislature just try again next year is disingenuous.

Some of the reforms in the omnibus bill are not quick fixes. Testimony in committee indicated that if the bill was passed this year they _probably_ would be up and working by 2010. If the early voting or change in primary date are passed next year it is hard to see how they could be implemented before 2012.

If attempts are made next year to modify voting procedures in time for the 2010 election, as the veto letter suggests, you can predict the Guv’s more-in-sadness-than-in-anger veto letter for next year. Suggestions that election law changes be implemented for 2010 will be “hasty”, “rushed”, and “ill-conceived”.

By: merf-1

merf-1 — Thu, 28 May 2009 12:47:37 +0000

Kudos to you Snowman!