Caging is going to be ugly this year. Here's (maybe) how to fight back:

[Jackpine Radical]

It looks like they're running a little scared on the voting machine scam, and are putting a lot of effort into caging this year. Ultimately, we have to pass some sane legislation to eliminate or at least control the practice, but in the meantime, how do we respond?

For starters, is there any way to get hold of the lists of returned post cards soon enough before the election for us to attempt to contact the caged voters? If that were possible, I think this is a reasonable strategy to counter it:

Here's what you would do: Sample the list. If there are 1000 caged voters in a given precinct, draw a random sample of 100 of them. Go out & try to contact these people. Go to their doors, mail them letters that CAN be forwarded if they have moved, etc. The point here is to establish the degree of accuracy of the caging. If the caging is identifying a lot of "false positives" (i.e. inappropriately flagging properly registered voters) for whatever reason, you quickly find a friendly judge and get an injunction to prevent the removal of these people from the registration list on the grounds that the inaccuracy of the procedure leads to more harm due to disenfranchisement of legitimate voters than any potential benefit that might arise from eliminating them from the rolls.

[blogslut]

1. Community Centers are a good idea

Spread the word there about voter caging. Ask to leave some flyers. Maybe even see if they'll allow a presentation.

[napi21]

2. Why can't we just advise every voter to contact their voter registration

office to confirm their information? As I understand it, the postcards that get returned are because the address on the voter registration is different from the voter's current address. Sometimes it's because someone's on a military deployment, some people moved and failed to update their information. That contact would give them the opportunity to update their info.

I have to assume most of the people who have lost their houses had far more important things to worry about than changing their voter registration!

I don't know what the homeless would need to do because at least here in Ga. you MUST provide a Street Address in order to register. As to those deployed, there IS an online form to apply for an absentee ballot for anyone in the military and out of Country as well as ex-pats.

I KNOW all this is a PIA, but it's the current system we have to work with! There's no time to change it before THIS election, and if we get our WIN, we can work to change it!

[Born_A_Truman]

3. Everyone I registered yesterday

on their receipt I wrote the phone number of the ROV and told them if they didn't receive their info to call the number and double check when they did receive it to make sure the party and info was correct.

[napi21]

4. That's a great idea, but I understand "caging" is affecting already

registered voters! People who THINK everything is fine until election day! THAT'S why I suggested a campaign directed to already registered voters! I would say to concentrate on areas where home reposessions are high, but there are so many I don't know if that's possible!

We moved to Ga. in 2000, and I've always been politically active, so one of the first things we did was register to vote, but I'm positive there are LOTS of people who don't think about it. Especially if they move to a new address in the same voting precinct. I'd bet they feel if they vote at the same place, and it's only a block, a few houses, or maybe even a new apt. in the same complex, it's no big deal! We need to find a way to get in touch with those people!

[Jackpine Radical]

5. Having to contact each and every voter is a daunting prospect.

That's why I suggested the procedure I did: draw a sample & use the results to show disenfranchisement, and then seek relief in the courts.