Yes, Virginia, Voter Fraud Really Does Exist

A few months ago the topic of “voter fraud” came up on Patch and I was roundly ridiculed by two of Patch’s editors for suggesting such a thing existed and informed that because I supported voter ID, I was, more or less, in the bag for voter suppression. I don’t want to mention any names but the initials of the two gentlemen in question are Sean and Matt ;-). Seriously, I was assured by these two, based on a link to a story asserting that voter fraud was not really an issue, that voter ID was just a smokescreen put up by Republicans to suppress the Democratic vote.

Allow me to make full disclosure here. The fewer people that vote, the better off I think we are. I know, this stings some people’s sensibilities, but I am in no way suggesting that certain people should be barred from voting, for the law extends such rights to them and protects their right to vote. I am only suggesting that if they didn’t vote, I would not be crestfallen. Why? Because for some reason I seem to think that if a person has no idea who is vice president, or who is running for the office of vice president, or who is the secretary of defense, or that our embassy was raided and four Americans killed but thinks Benghazi is a Japanese restaurant in Cherry Hill, maybe they should pass on voting until they come up to speed. I am not the first to say it, but if you’re going to vote on how my money is being spent maybe you should throw some money into the pot as well and get some skin in the game.

So, moving to the real issue. Can anybody else smell the stench that is wafting across the river from Philadelphia? Here are some of the facts as I understand them. 

Philadelphia, in general, has about 60 percent voting participation based on government numbers. However, in a number of voting districts, where GOP poll watchers were forcibly removed, voting participation topped 90 percent. One district recorded 99.5 percent participation. Why were GOP poll inspectors forcibly removed from polling places in Philadelphia? This is an illegal action. Additionally, the New Black Panthers were at it again and just as in 2008, you can be sure that Attorney General Eric Holder will have no interest in looking at intimidation and suppression of the Republican vote.

Surprisingly, 59 districts in Philadelphia registered not vote for Mitt Romney at all. George W. Bush was blanked in five Philadelphia districts in 2004 but that number shot up astronomically to 57 for John McCain in 2008 and now 59 without a vote for Romney. Not one vote for Romney in 59 districts. I know, move along, nothing to see here.

Look, I get it; in many of these areas the population has forever pulled the Democratic lever, but not one dissenting vote out of 20,000? I understand that 75 to 80 percent of voters identifying themselves as Democrats is not uncommon in some of these areas, but, again, the numbers start to become unbelievable. Even those who lean Democratic and can swallow a number of zero precincts in large urban centers for the Democratic candidate find 59 such districts hard to swallow.

Then there was Virginia Democratic Congressman Jim Moran’s son and field director Patrick Moran, who had to resign in disgrace when video surfaced of him advising that “utility bills could be used to aid in voter fraud,” something, by the way, that I’ve been assured does not occur.

And how about St. Lucie County, FL, where only one precinct in the county had less than 113 percent voter turnout. “The Unofficial vote count (for the county) is 175,554 registered voters, 247,713 vote cards cast (141.10 percent).” Another polling place in the county, located in the National SEAL Museum, had 158.85 percent voter turnout, the highest in the county. Ignore the man behind the curtain and the extra people in the voting booth with you because I’m here to tell you that voter fraud is just not happening.

Finally, I heard of two or three instances where votes cast for Romney kept coming up Obama. Mysteriously, I never heard of any opposite occurrences.

Seriously, people, if voter suppression is occurring, it must be stopped but if voter fraud is occurring, it must also be stopped; not ignored in the name of it being the fix for voter suppression which is what the argument for voter ID is always countered with. For some reason, however, it’s always Democratic voter suppression that occurs and never suppression of the Republican vote.

This is how my argument went before so I’ll offer it again: “Is there any sound logic that you can offer that identifying voters to be who they say they are is harmful or bad?” Then let’s go ahead and do whatever it takes to make it happen. If you think not, then give me the logic for why one of the most important things we do needs not be controlled. Controlling the voting process through identification of the voters brings us to a place where we can all, equally, be comfortable with the outcome? It’s a no-brainer.

Yes, Virginia, voter fraud is alive and well. Tell me again now, Sean and Matt, how voter fraud is not a problem.