Florida says 180,000 non-citizens may be on voter rolls

[Bad_Daddy 2,209]

http://news.yahoo.com/florida-says-180-000-non-citizens-may-voter-210240239.html

By Kevin Gray | Reuters – 2 hrs 56 mins ago

MIAMI (Reuters) - Florida election authorities are examining about 180,000 people who they say may not be U.S. citizens but are registered to vote in the state, an official said on Friday.

State officials are updating Florida's voter rolls ahead of the U.S. presidential election in November. Florida is home to a large Latino population and is expected to be a critical swing state in the contest between Democratic President Barack Obama and presumptive Republican nominee Mitt Romney.

Florida's Division of Elections said it is checking the citizenship of voters by comparing its databases with those of the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles, which keeps track of whether a licensed driver is also a U.S. citizen.

Similar efforts have been carried out by state authorities in Colorado and New Mexico, which also have large Latino communities.

"We're going to vet a list of 180,000 people to try to come up with a real number," said Chris Cate, a spokesman for Florida's Division of Elections. "We don't want to jump to conclusions without a thorough investigation."

Officials in Florida have so far identified more than 2,600 potential voters who may not be U.S. citizens and sent their information to local election authorities, Cate said.

Drivers in Florida are required to show proof of their legal status when they get a driver's license or renew an old one.

Cate said cross-referencing voter rolls with the highway department information could help better determine whether voters are U.S. citizens, but he added the information was sometimes incomplete.

"Their last contact with the highway department may have been four or five years ago and they could have had the chance to become a citizen since then," he said.

Potential non-citizen voters are notified by mail and given 30 days to respond.

Nearly 1,600 of the voters identified up until now reside in Miami-Dade County, Florida's most populous county, which includes the city of Miami.

Cate said some Florida officials have asked the Obama administration to grant the state access to databases maintained by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security to help determine who is a citizen.

"We've been requesting access, but have so far been denied," he said.

[Leatherneck 693]

They can forget any help from the Obama administration -- that will never happen.

Edited May 12, 2012 by Leatherneck

[Bad_Daddy 2,209]

They can forget any help from the Obama administration -- that will never happen.

Obama is turning out to be a real weasel.

[Leatherneck 693]

Obama is turning out to be a real weasel.

Ok, now that is better. He's been a weasel for a long time -- read about his first election to the IL. state house, read about his first election to the U.S. senate.

[unlockingsky 94]

yes he can!

[Obama 2012 1,714]

Remember, according to certain people on these boards (certain residents of Florida actually) this is a NON-ISSUE. Voter Fraud doesn't exist this large!!!

[Leatherneck 693]

Remember, according to certain people on these boards (certain residents of Florida actually) this is a NON-ISSUE. Voter Fraud doesn't exist this large!!!

I can hear the cries how the Florida Division of Elections is trying to disenfranchise voters.

yes he can!

Make that, Yes he is!

[spookyturtle 9,466]

At least it's only 180K voters.

[Bad_Daddy 2,209]

At least it's only 180K voters.

That's just in one state.

[james&olya 1,121]

At least it's only 180K voters.

"We're going to vet a list of 180,000 people to try to come up with a REAL number."

They don't yet have a 'real' number. It certainly will not be anywhere near 180,000! Prior investigations like this have come up virtually empty. Especially when it has come down to investigating ACTUAL voter fraud. But nevermind the facts. All you need to do is throw out a statement like this and the tea partiers start repeating that number like it actually means something!

[spookyturtle 9,466]

That's just in one state.

I was being sarcastic. There probably are a few million overall, maybe more. The system is so fvcked up, who knows how many? There is so much immigration fraud it's sickening. Why do the legit people go thru hell and the scammers have an easy ride? I know several people who have fraudulent marriages and went thru the process without a glitch. I know one who did this and then joined the army for a faster path to citizenship.

[james&olya 1,121]

I was being sarcastic. There probably are a few million overall, maybe more. The system is so fvcked up, who knows how many? There is so much immigration fraud it's sickening. Why do the legit people go thru hell and the scammers have an easy ride? I know several people who have fraudulent marriages and went thru the process without a glitch. I know one who did this and then joined the army for a faster path to citizenship.

I would personally rather see someone willing to serve in our armed forces given citizenship than some of the others who would never lift a finger in service to their country!

[spookyturtle 9,466]

I would personally rather see someone willing to serve in our armed forces given citizenship than some of the others who would never lift a finger in service to their country!

The person in question paid an American woman to marry him.

[james&olya 1,121]

The person in question paid an American woman to marry him.

Does that get him hazardous duty pay?

[one...two...tree 2,762]

"We're going to vet a list of 180,000 people to try to come up with a REAL number."

They don't yet have a 'real' number. It certainly will not be anywhere near 180,000! Prior investigations like this have come up virtually empty. Especially when it has come down to investigating ACTUAL voter fraud. But nevermind the facts. All you need to do is throw out a statement like this and the tea partiers start repeating that number like it actually means something!

RWN use fear as their psychological weapon on a voting public that responds easily to emotional appeal over substance.