Arizona Democrats call for probe into voter suppression claims
Source: CNN
Washington (CNN) — Arizona Democrats are calling Thursday for the Department of Justice to investigate what caused some voters to wait in line for five hours to participate in the Arizona primary.
Phoenix Mayor Greg Stanton requested that U.S. Attorney Loretta Lynch launch a federal investigation into the situation.
"Because of the unacceptably disparate distribution of polling locations, I respectfully request the U.S. Department of Justice investigate what took place in Maricopa County to ensure all voters are treated equally under the law," he wrote Wednesday.
Even after waiting in line for hours, some people were not allowed to vote. At least 20 Democratic voters contacted the Arizona Democratic Party to say that when they arrived at the polls, they were told that they were registered as Independents, and therefore unable to vote in the closed primary.
Read more: http://www.cnn.com/2016/03/24/politics/arizona-voting-investigation-department-justice/
Team Clinton and Debbie Wasserman Shultz have sought to suppress the Millennial vote from the very beginning.
This exact same scenario of voter registrations being flipped to "Independent" or "No Affiliation" has been playing out all across the Western States and especially right now here in California.
You would have to know early on through internal polling and tons of raw polling data (such as the DNC's database system) that suppressing millennial votes would be a path to victory for Hillary Clinton
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Dustlawyer
(10,495 posts)
Tempest
(14,591 posts)"Team Clinton and Debbie Wasserman Shultz have sought to suppress the Millennial vote from the very beginning."
The DNC has NOTHING to do with the running of the primary in Arizona. It is 100% set up, planned and controlled by the Republican Helen Purcell at the county level and Republican Michele Reagan at the state level. They were the ones who cut the number of polling stations from 200 to 60 in Maricopa County alone. Neither party has anything to do with the primary in Arizona.
http://www.azcentral.com/story/news/politics/elections/2016/03/23/maricopa-county-recorder-helen-purcell-admits-fault-long-primary-lines/82165730/
http://www.azcentral.com/story/news/politics/elections/2016/03/23/ducey-rips-long-voter-lines-calls-them-unacceptable/82160766/
Facts can sometimes be a pesky thing.
Scout
(8,624 posts)it must be a conspiracy by Hillary!
LiberalArkie
(15,719 posts)
State board of elections are controlled by the political party that is in power at the time. Which is a bad plan, IMO, something about foxes watching the chicken house... But there it is. And the GOP is in charge of AZ.
I am not sure how the GOP benefits from suppressing Dem primary turnout. Were they attempting to suppress and confuse Trump voters, or was it straight-up incompetence? I am sure this has been discuss, but I have been ignoring much of the conversation here because the conspiracy theories are so ridiculous.
LiberalFighter
(50,950 posts)First, not every state has a closed primary.
Second, where else has this been an issue? Not Florida. Not Oklahoma which passed legislation last year allow Independents to vote in Democratic primaries. Not Kansas or Maine which Sanders won. Florida had issues with not enough paper ballots.
And it hasn't happened in California because they haven't had their primary yet. Not until June 7th.
Those western states that have had their primary elections: Idaho, Nevada, Utah, Colorado; were all caucuses. Colorado only had a problem with registering with certain smart phones. Sanders won all of these states except for Nevada. Arizona is the only state that had their primary (closed) of the western states.
If this was a plan by "Team Clinton and Debbie Wasserman Shultz" there would be people blabbing about it. Two people that should know if it was happening would be former DNC member, Tulsi Gabbard and one of the persons that was at the press conference in Phoenix yesterday.
FreakinDJ
(17,644 posts)All over the internet with video to boot
Millennial after the debacle in Arizona are going into county offices to find the voter registration has mysteriously been changed to independent
LiberalFighter
(50,950 posts)
Wernothelpless
(410 posts)Helen Purcell: From Arkansas to Arizona ... Clinton friend ...
https://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P2-10942184.html
Helen Purcell, Maricopa County's recorder and election director, shows no signs of slowing down - even in an off-election year. Managing her time is Purcell's biggest challenge, as she oversees recording 1 million documents annually and modernizing the state's largest election department. In her fifth term of office, Purcell also serves on a committee drafting new standards for voting systems throughout the United States and on the board of the National Association of Counties, among other organizations. "It's easier now that my family is grown," she says, the mother of two and grandmother of four. Her husband Joe, who Purcell says gave her the valued advice of being honest, consistent and to "learn everything you can," passed away several years ago after 43 years of marriage. …
LiberalFighter
(50,950 posts)Nor did I make the request of you.
Purcell is also a Republican.
Wernothelpless
(410 posts)Hard to deal with corruption?
LiberalFighter
(50,950 posts)Wernothelpless
(410 posts)Victory!
CBGLuthier
(12,723 posts)Dr Hobbitstein
(6,568 posts)Same name, different guy. Her husband died a couple years ago. The one from Arkansas died in the late 80s.
Wernothelpless
(410 posts)For SIX DAYS as Lieutenant Governor he stepped in until Bill Clinton was inaugurated... Fact, there are pictures of them together ...
Dr Hobbitstein
(6,568 posts)Joe Purcell from Arkansas died in 1987. Joe Purcell from Arizona died in 2003.
The Arizona Purcells are MUCH younger than the Arkansas Purcells. You are wrong.
Tempest
(14,591 posts)And it's just a coincidence they are both named Joe and Helen like the ones in AZ.
But any lie told enough becomes truth.
Tempest
(14,591 posts)Joe Purcell that knew Clinton died in 1987.
*This is not the Helen Purcell of Maricopa County Arizona, who is much younger and a resident of Phoenix since 1964.*
Wernothelpless
(410 posts)Helen Purcell: From Arkansas to Arizona ... Clinton friend ...
https://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P2-10942184.html
Helen Purcell, Maricopa County's recorder and election director, shows no signs of slowing down - even in an off-election year. Managing her time is Purcell's biggest challenge, as she oversees recording 1 million documents annually and modernizing the state's largest election department. In her fifth term of office, Purcell also serves on a committee drafting new standards for voting systems throughout the United States and on the board of the National Association of Counties, among other organizations. "It's easier now that my family is grown," she says, the mother of two and grandmother of four. Her husband Joe, who Purcell says gave her the valued advice of being honest, consistent and to "learn everything you can," passed away several years ago after 43 years of marriage. …
Dr Hobbitstein
(6,568 posts)She's from Arizona. She is not the MUCH OLDER (and possibly deceased) Helen Purcell from Arkansas.
Tempest
(14,591 posts)Not the same people. The Purcells of Arkansas are older and he died in 1987.
The Purcells of AZ are younger, lived in AZ since 1964 and he died in 2003.
One more time and I'm reporting you.
Wernothelpless
(410 posts)Tempest
(14,591 posts)Your lies and propaganda won't fly here.
Adios. I hope you enjoyed your short stay.
Dr Hobbitstein
(6,568 posts)Tempest
(14,591 posts)Damn he was thicker than a brick.
Dr Hobbitstein
(6,568 posts)Could not accept the fact that he was wrong at all.
csziggy
(34,136 posts)In some places Democratic voters were told they were registered as Republican or Independent - http://www.sun-sentinel.com/local/palm-beach/fl-palm-dmv-voting-folo-20160322-story.html
At least one polling place told Democratic voters that there was no Democratic primary on March 15, only a Republican primary. It wasn't until the voters raised cain and called the supervisor of elections office that the poll workers "found" the Democratic ballots hidden in a closet - http://wfla.com/2016/03/15/polk-poll-workers-mistakenly-tell-voters-election-not-for-democrats/
Orange County, Florida, ran short of ballots and then the governor refused to extend the hours for the polling places - http://www.wftv.com/news/local/polling-locations-running-out-of-ballots-voters-say/162820815
None of these are likely accidental, especially given the numbers of people whose affiliation had changed across the state. The hidden Democratic ballots almost certainly was not an innocent error on the part of the poll workers. My mother was a poll worker for decades in Polk County and the training the workers received was comprehensive. My sister works every election in Hillsborough County and her training is even more detailed than what Mom used to get. In a primary with only TWO races, Democratic and Republican, "losing" the ballots for one political party HAS to be dirty tricks. Dick Nixon's people are probably regretting not thinking of this one themselves!
Given that both Florida and Arizona both have elections offices that are dominated by Republicans I know who I blame for the voter suppression in both states.
LiberalFighter
(50,950 posts)Nothing indicating that it was primarily only Democratic voters that were affected. Both Republicans and Democrats were in the same boat on that issue.
Yes, it is strange that when Republicans have control of the election that someone else is being blamed.
On the issue of the "lost" ballots, I would like to know if you know whether Florida has both Democratic and Republican election workers at each voting location. Here in Indiana, for the Clerk and Judge positions there has to be both a Democratic and Republican worker. And they are assigned by the political parties. Do they operate the same there? I just checked and your election workers are assigned as non-partisan. That to me is dubious. Maybe you can tell me how that works better.
It seems strange that it only happened in one county which could be nefarious or just plain stupid. Sometimes election workers do get confused too. We've had issues with Republicans messing with elections and our party attorneys have to get them in line. Here in our county the top election worker is the Inspector and by law has to be a Republican based on election results in 2014.
csziggy
(34,136 posts)But that could just be that Democrats tend to be more vocal about it.
As for the poll workers, so far as I know they are not required to have both parties represented. Both parties are allowed to have poll watchers and for the most part have them where they can but often there are not enough, especially in areas which are dominated by one party.
Sometimes the local organization or the campaigns have people on call in case of problems. My BIL who is an attorney is usually on call for the Democratic Party in his county. If there are problems he will intercede with the poll workers and supervisor of elections office to sort things out - and if need be he can go to the courts.
As for the lost ballots in Polk County, that could be poor training, stupidity or intentional. Since it happened in Winter Haven it is hard to attribute it to just one reason. Winter Haven is heavily right wing, many of the people living there are were educated in right wing Christian schools, and they tend to be a bit dictatorial in the way they run things. I have cousins who grew up in Winter Haven who fit all those criteria, and I would not put it past any of them to have hidden Democratic ballots and to try to convince Democrats that they could not vote in the primary.
As for the shortage of ballots in Orange County, that is just plain stupid. Perhaps they underestimated the number of people who turned out. That is the Orlando area and it used to be very right wing. With the theme parks and the growth of the colleges and universities a lot of young people now live there. Both the older right wingers and the young liberal voters could have pulled out more people for the primaries than expected. While Hillary Clinton got the most votes in Orange County, the Bernie Sanders contingent could have pushed up numbers for the Democratic voters. Same for the Republicans, though Donald Trump got many more votes than any other candidate in their primary.
LiberalFighter
(50,950 posts)Since you connected some of the dots as to the problem.
I'm wondering if there were any Democratic election workers at that voting location. If there were none that would definitely explain it. If there was then something else was happening.
Jenny_92808
(1,342 posts)your favorite group is "hillary clinton."
To the ignore box for you. I don't want to listen to your type of poison.
Wernothelpless
(410 posts)Helen Purcell: From Arkansas to Arizona ... Clinton friend ...
https://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P2-10942184.html
Helen Purcell, Maricopa County's recorder and election director, shows no signs of slowing down - even in an off-election year. Managing her time is Purcell's biggest challenge, as she oversees recording 1 million documents annually and modernizing the state's largest election department. In her fifth term of office, Purcell also serves on a committee drafting new standards for voting systems throughout the United States and on the board of the National Association of Counties, among other organizations. "It's easier now that my family is grown," she says, the mother of two and grandmother of four. Her husband Joe, who Purcell says gave her the valued advice of being honest, consistent and to "learn everything you can," passed away several years ago after 43 years of marriage. …
Tempest
(14,591 posts)The Purcells who were friends of the Clintons passed away in 1987.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joe_Purcell
*This is not the Helen Purcell of Maricopa County Arizona, who is much younger and a resident of Phoenix since 1964.*
Dr Hobbitstein
(6,568 posts)Joe Purcell from Arizona is not Joe Purcell from Arkansas.
No matter how much you want it to be true.
Wernothelpless
(410 posts)Helen Purcell: From Arkansas to Arizona ... Clinton friend ...
https://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P2-10942184.html
Helen Purcell, Maricopa County's recorder and election director, shows no signs of slowing down - even in an off-election year. Managing her time is Purcell's biggest challenge, as she oversees recording 1 million documents annually and modernizing the state's largest election department. In her fifth term of office, Purcell also serves on a committee drafting new standards for voting systems throughout the United States and on the board of the National Association of Counties, among other organizations. "It's easier now that my family is grown," she says, the mother of two and grandmother of four. Her husband Joe, who Purcell says gave her the valued advice of being honest, consistent and to "learn everything you can," passed away several years ago after 43 years of marriage. …
Tempest
(14,591 posts)Helen Purcell in Arizona lived there since 1964.
Wernothelpless
(410 posts)Same woman
Dr Hobbitstein
(6,568 posts)Same name, different person.
Wernothelpless
(410 posts)Tempest
(14,591 posts)You continue to repeat the same lie despite being told it's a lie.
You have an agenda, one based upon a blatant falsehood.
Dr Hobbitstein
(6,568 posts)from Arkansas. Not Joe Purcell from Arizona. Helen Purcell from Arizona has lived there since 1964. You're really not good at this, are you?
Deuce
(959 posts)According to a biography on the Maricopa County government web site, that county's recorder, Helen Purcell, was born in Topeka, Kansas, and has been living in Phoenix since 1964 (the latter being an unusual place of residence if her husband was serving as Lieutenant Governor of Arkansas from 1975–1981). Also, although Helen Purcell's age isn't listed on the Maricopa County government web site, recent photographs of her show a woman far too young to have been college age in 1948, as Joe Purcell's future wife was when he met her in Arkansas.
http://www.snopes.com/helen-purcell-clinton-connection/
L. Coyote
(51,129 posts)The pullulation of voter participation!
Cryptoad
(8,254 posts)have not realized yet than voting in primary states where u have to registered before voting day, is unlike voting in Caucus states where u can ride a bus in from out of state, declare ur citizenship and vote. Primary States sometimes have waiting lines especially if u too late registering to vote.
beastie boy
(9,376 posts)favor to begin with?
And now they are calling the establishment Team Obama to investigate the establishment Team Clinton?
Makes perfect sense!
Tempest
(14,591 posts)See my post from earlier.
beastie boy
(9,376 posts)I was just being sarcastic towards the OP
Frances
(8,545 posts)as you will see when we have the fall elections
I cannot believe that some DUers are trying to frame this as an anti-Hillary thing
Where will they be in November if people trying to vote for Hillary OR Bernie, whoever is the nominee, have to stand in long lines all over the country while people living in Republican areas have short lines?
Democrats have been complaining about this kind of thing for years when neither Hillary nor Bernie were on the ticket.
I am starting to believe that Republicans are paying people to write stupid posts trying to divide Democrats.
Surely Democrats are too smart to fall for these divisive posts that will help get Trump into the White House.
Tempest
(14,591 posts)So naturally everything is a conspiracy.
beastie boy
(9,376 posts)While their efforts are laughable, some of them believe that planting "underground operatives" to troll liberal media in order to, in the words of one of them, "drive a wedge" between the supporters of different Democratic candidates, is a winning strategy to defeat the Democrats.
