HOMELESS 'DRIVEN' TO VOTE OBAMA

[Teresa]

By JEANE MacINTOSH
Posted: 9:34 pm
October 6, 2008

CLEVELAND - Volunteers supporting Barack Obama picked up hundreds of people at homeless shelters, soup kitchens and drug-rehab centers and drove them to a polling place yesterday on the last day that Ohioans could register and vote on the same day, almost no questions asked.

The huge effort by a pro-Obama group, Vote Today Ohio, takes advantage of a quirk in the state's elections laws that allows people to register and cast ballots at the same time without having to prove residency.

Republicans have argued that the window could lead to widespread voter fraud because officials wouldn't have an opportunity to verify registration information before ballots were cast.

Among the volunteers were Yori Stadlin and Vivian Lehrer of the Upper West Side, who got married last week and decided to spend their honeymoon shepherding voters to the Cuyahoga County Board of Elections.

Early today, Stadlin's van picked up William Woods, 59, at the soup kitchen of the Bishop Cosgrove Center.

"I never voted before," Woods said, because of a felony conviction that previously barred him from the polls. "Without this service, I would have had no way to get here."

http://www.nypost.com/seven/10062008/news/nationalnews/homeless_driven_to_vote_obama_132395.htm

[pam]

Oldest trick in the book for both sides.......thought that's why you had to prove residence and identity in most states now....and have a registration deadline.

[Teresa]

After all, Obama IS from Chicago, where the Dem's motto is "Vote early, vote often!!" 

But..... regardless of what they are trying to do... felons STILL can't vote, as far as I remember. Heck, in Atlanta, the NAACP and the mayor went to the jails and prisons in the area to register all non-felons and hand out absentee ballots to those who could still 'legally' vote. 

I got this reply from another forum member.. It said:
As a resident of Ohio, I find this situation to be a disgrace. The Dems are making a considerable effort to take this state, and they're all too willing to use any means necessary to achieve that goal.

I waited around for a while before mailing in my voter registration. I don't know if they accepted it at the Sec. of State's office in Columbus, but that's where I was told to mail it. To avoid a double registration, I didn't try to register at the BMV, so if they lost my registration, I'm not registered to vote. Maybe it was received and processed, but I don't know yet. Wouldn't surprise me if it was received and then mishandled; I registered Republican and this is now a Dem Admin. Not going to give in to any conspiracy theories right now, but we'll see how the Same-Day Voters are handled.

My advice to anyone who hasn't registered and still has time, register in person at the Board of Elections in your county or where ever you can submit your registration and make sure that you have enough time to receive confirmation of your registration (ie. polling location) to re-register if you have a problem.

[pam]

Seems like I remember hearin somthin about some states reinstating voting privileges for convicted felons but I don't remember where I heard it

[pam]

Found this list about voting rights for felons by state, seems most of them allow it after completion of sentence or probation or whatever. Thought I had heard that somewhere 


State Vote Restorable? Difficulty Details 
     
     
.
Alabama Yes Very Difficult The right to vote may be regained only through a pardon.
.
Alaska Yes Automatic Automatically restored upon completion of sentence, probation and/or parole; felon must register to vote.
.
Arizona Yes Moderate 1st offense - rights are automatically restored; 2nd and subsequent offenses - must apply to court for restoration; If felony convictions resulted in a prison sentence, felon must wait until two years after your unconditional release from incarceration or completion of parole before felon can apply. If felony convictions resulted in a sentence of probation, felon may apply for restoration of your voting rights immediately upon discharge from probation.
.
Arkansas Yes Moderate Automatically restored upon completion of sentence, probation and/or parole; felon must register to vote. Felons must provide evidence of their eligibility to vote after discharge of their sentence.*
.
California Yes Automatic Automatically restored upon completion of sentence, probation and/or parole; felon must register to vote.
.
Colorado Yes Automatic Automatically restored upon completion of sentence and/or parole; felon must register to vote.
.
Connecticut Yes Difficult Felon may regain the right to vote upon submission of written or other satisfactory proof that all fines in conjunction with conviction have been paid and that felon has been discharged from confinement or parole. Felon must submit this information to the office of the Registrar of Voters. Probationers automatically regain the right to vote.*
.
Delaware Yes Difficult -A person convicted of murder, manslaughter or any felony constituting a sexual offense or an offense against public administration involving bribery, improper influence or abuse of office, may not have their voting rights restored.

-Any other person who is disqualified as a voter because of a conviction of a crime shall have such disqualification removed upon being pardoned or five years after expiration of sentence, whichever may occur first. Expiration of sentence means satisfactory completion of imprisonment, probation and parole and satisfaction of all financial obligations required by the sentence, including restitution.
.
D.C. Yes Automatic Automatically restored upon release from confinement; felon must register to vote.
.
Florida Yes Very Difficult Civil rights, including the right to vote, are suspended when a person is convicted of a felony. A felon may have his or her civil rights restored by obtaining a full pardon, conditional pardon, or restoration of civil rights from the Governor of Florida.
.
Georgia Yes Automatic Automatically restored upon completion of sentence, probation and/or parole; felon must register to vote.
.
Hawaii Yes Automatic Automatically restored upon release from confinement; felon must register to vote.
.
Idaho Yes Automatic Automatically restored upon completion of sentence, probation and parole; felon must register to vote.
.
Illinois Yes Automatic Automatically restored upon release from confinement; felon must register to vote.
.
Indiana Yes Automatic Automatically restored upon release from confinement; felon must register to vote.
.
Iowa Yes Very Difficult Must obtain a pardon or a restoration of citizenship from the Governor.
.
Kansas Yes Automatic Automatically restored upon completion of sentence, probation and/or parole; felon must register to vote.
.
Kentucky Yes Very Difficult Must obtain a pardon from the Governor.
.
Louisiana Yes Automatic Automatically restored upon completion of sentence, probation and/or parole; felon must register to vote.
.
Maine Yes N/A Eligibility to vote not affected.

     
.
Maryland Yes Moderate -A first time offender for theft or infamous crime, other than buying or selling votes, the right to vote is automatically restored upon completion of your sentence, including any probation or parole.

-If convicted of two or more such crimes, a person is not eligible to vote unless and until a pardon is obtained.

-If convicted of buying or selling votes, a person is permanently prohibited from voting in Maryland.
.
Massachusetts Yes Automatic Automatically restored upon release from confinement; felon must register to vote.
.
Michigan Yes Automatic Automatically restored upon release from confinement; felon must register to vote.
.
Minnesota Yes Moderate If convicted of treason or of a felony, the right to vote is automatically restored upon discharge from sentence. Discharge occurs either by order of the sentencing court, following stay of sentence or stay of execution of sentence, or upon final expiration of sentence.
.
Mississippi Yes Very Difficult Right to vote may be restored by a pardon or an executive order issued by the Governor upon discharge from probation. The right to vote may also be restored by a two-thirds vote of the state legislature.
.
Missouri Yes Automatic Automatically restored upon completion of sentence, probation and/or parole; felon must register to vote; however, a person is forever disqualified from voting if convicted of a crime connected to the exercise of the right to vote.
.
Montana Yes Automatic Automatically restored upon release from confinement; felon must register to vote
.
Nebraska Yes Difficult Must obtain a "warrant of discharge" from the Nebraska Board of Pardons to regain the right to vote; however, if sentenced to confinement in an adult correctional facility, the felon can only regain the right to vote by applying to the Board of Pardons for a warrant of discharge
.
Nevada Yes Difficult -Felons who have completed probation may apply 6 months after the expiration of their term of probation to have their rights restored.*

-Felons who have completed parole or who have served their full sentence may immediately petition the State Board of Parole Commissioners who may petition the district court for restoration of civil rights. *
.
New Hampshire Yes Automatic Automatically restored upon release from confinement; felon must register to vote.
.
New Jersey Yes Automatic Automatically restored upon completion of sentence, probation and/or parole; felon must register to vote.
.
New Mexico Yes Automatic Automatically restored upon completion of sentence, probation and/or parole; felon must register to vote. *
.
New York Yes Difficult -If convicted of a felony and sentenced to incarceration, felon automatically regains the right to vote upon expiration of the maximum time to which he or she was sentenced, or upon discharge from parole, whichever occurs first.

-If convicted of a felony but not sentenced to incarceration, or if the sentence was suspended, felon's conviction does not affect the right to vote.
.
North Carolina Yes Moderate Automatically restored upon completion of sentence, probation and/or parole. For a North Carolina conviction, the agency having jurisdiction over a felon at the time he or she was unconditionally discharged is required to issue a certificate to the clerk of the General Court of Justice in the county where the felon was convicted, and that clerk shall then file the certificate with the original record at no fee. Once this is done, the felon can simply register and vote.
.
North Dakota Yes Automatic Automatically restored upon release from confinement; felon must register to vote.
.
Ohio Yes Automatic Automatically restored upon release from confinement; felon must register to vote.
.
Oklahoma Yes Automatic Once a conviction has become final and the maximum time set forth in the felon's sentence has expired, his or her right to vote is automatically restored.
.
Oregon Yes Automatic Automatically restored upon release from confinement or completion of parole; felon must register to vote.
.
Pennsylvania Yes Difficult Automatically restored upon release from confinement; felon must register to vote; however, if a felon was not registered to vote at the time of his or her conviction, the felon may need to wait 5 years from the date of release from incarceration in order to vote.
.
Rhode Island Yes Automatic Automatically restored upon completion of sentence, probation and/or parole; felon must register to vote.

     
.
South Carolina Yes Automatic Automatically restored upon completion of sentence, probation and/or parole; felon must register to vote.
.
South Dakota Yes Moderate In South Dakota, the right to vote is restored upon termination of a felon's sentence. When the sentence has been fully discharged, including parole, a felon should receive a certificate from the Secretary of Corrections stating that he or she has been restored to the full rights of a citizen. The Secretary should file a copy of the certificate with the sentencing court. After receiving this certificate the felon must register to vote.
.
Tennessee Yes Very Difficult -Persons convicted of murder, aggravated rape, treason, or voter fraud after July 1, 1986, or of rape after June 30, 1996, are ineligible to have their voting rights restored.

-For other felony convictions after June 30, 1996, a felon may seek restoration of voting rights after the maximum sentence imposed for his or her conviction has expired, or after the felon has been pardoned, by petitioning the circuit court of the county where the felon lives or was convicted.

-If a felon was convicted after July 1, 1986 but before June 30, 1996 of a felony other than murder, aggravated rape, treason, or voter fraud , a felon may request that either the board of probation and parole or the authority that supervised or incarcerated him or her during the sentence issue a Certificate of Restoration of Voting Rights. A felon is eligible to request this certificate after either being pardoned or after the maximum sentence which was imposed for the conviction has expired.
.
Texas Yes Automatic Automatically restored upon completion of sentence, probation and/or parole; felon must register to vote; if convicted persons may also regain their voting rights if they have been granted a gubernatorial pardon or release from the resulting disability to vote.
.
Utah Yes Automatic Automatically restored upon release from confinement/completion of sentence; felon must register to vote.
.
Vermont Yes N/A Eligibility to vote not affected.
.
Virginia Yes Very Difficult If convicted of a felony in Virginia, then a felon must obtain a "removal of political disabilities" from the Governor in order to regain the right to vote. A felon is eligible to apply for the removal of political disabilities if he or she completed the sentence more than 5 years ago and if all court costs and restitution have been satisfied.
.
Washington Yes Very Difficult In order to regain the right to vote, a felon must have his or her civil rights restored. Civil rights are restored by the issuance of a certificate of discharge. When a felon has completed all of the requirements of sentence, the Department of Corrections notifies the sentencing court. The sentencing court then issues and provides the felon with a certificate of discharge, which will have the effect of restoring the right to vote. A felon must then register to vote, unless the crime was committed before 1984.
.
West Virginia Yes Automatic Automatically restored upon completion of sentence, probation and/or parole; felon must register to vote.
.
Wisconsin Yes Automatic Automatically restored upon release from confinement/completion of sentence; felon must register to vote.
.
Wyoming Yes Very Difficult The right to vote may be regained either by a pardon or by restoration of civil rights. The Governor has the power both to pardon and to restore rights. The Governor may issue certificates of restoration of rights upon a person's completion of probation or expiration of the term of the sentence. A felon must submit a written application to the Governor in order to request a certificate restoring the right to vote.
.
     
.
    Source: U.S. Department of Justice, December 2000;

Updated by the National Conference of State Legislatures, January 2002
www.ncsl.org/
programs/
legismgt/
elect/
voterights.htm;

Formatted and updated by The Liberator Magazine, September 2008;

[Teresa]

Thanks.. that is interesting. I know that felons of course can not purchase a firearm legally. ( like that small fact keeps them from getting them off the street in the black market) 
but the voting thing I didn't know was different in each state.