Democrats, Florida elections officials criticize GOP mailing

TALLAHASSEE — A new pitch for John McCain's presidential campaign aimed at older Democratic voters is causing complaints by Democrats and concern by elections officials.

The piece, paid for by the Republican National Committee and authorized by McCain, tells voters it is seeking to double-check their "unconfirmed" party affiliations while asking for money. A letter signed by McCain tells the Democrats: "We have you registered as a Republican."

"I was a little bit shocked and a little bit surprised," said recipient Bill Smith, 81, of Tampa, who calls himself a lifelong Democrat and has been registered at his current address since 2000. The retired plant engineer is one of about a dozen senior citizens that Democratic Party leaders identified as recipients, all of them longtime Democrats.

The RNC declined to discuss the mailer, which Democrats said has landed in five counties: Duval, Hillsborough, Collier, Miami-Dade and Escambia.

"This is simply a fundraising piece," said spokeswoman Amber Wilkerson, adding in an e-mail it was not "worth writing about."

Two top Florida elections officials, both Republicans, faulted the GOP mailing, calling it "confusing" and "unfortunate" because of a potential to undermine voter confidence by making them question the accuracy of their registrations.

"It is unfortunate, because it does put a lot of doubt in people's minds," said Secretary of State Kurt Browning, the state's top elections official.

After his office received dozens of calls, Duval County Supervisor of Elections Jerry Holland issued a media alert that his office had nothing to do with it. "They were upset folks and they were very concerned," said Holland, a Republican. "They mainly said their party (listing) was different than it was."

Some Democrats suspect a motive beyond raising money. The first-class GOP mailing has a "Do not forward" instruction on the envelope, meaning they will be returned to the GOP if a recipient has had mail forwarded, perhaps to a summer address, or has moved.

Letters returned as undeliverable can be compiled into "challenge lists" of unverifiable addresses and can be used to challenge voters' eligibility during early voting or on Election Day. The vote suppression technique is known as "vote caging."

"That postcard is a little disconcerting," said letter-recipient Steve Hemping of Naples, chairman of the Collier County Democratic Party and a state party official. "You don't know if they're going to use it to challenge somebody's right to vote."

The letter asks recipients to note changes on an "RNC File Card" and return it to the party by Sept. 26. The card shows a nine-digit "voter ID" number, but the supervisor of elections in Jacksonville's Duval County said the numbers are wrong and do not match the state's voter database.

Hillsborough Democratic Party Chairman Michael Steinberg said it makes no sense for Republicans to question the party affiliations of Democratic voters. "I don't understand their logic," he said.

Allegations of Republican vote caging in predominantly black Jacksonville precincts in the 2004 presidential election surfaced last year in testimony before the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee.

Comments on this article

by Teresa	Sep 19, 2008 8:33 PM
Lies, avoiding subpoena's, no VP vetting and claiming a "strong economy" when thousands of people are losing their jobs as China moves in to buy the US up.. love this administration? .. then you know who to vote for and kiss this country good-bye!!!

by Rob	Sep 19, 2008 8:30 PM
Just another pathetic attempt to undermine the fair demacratic process in the u.s-its no wonder the electorate have had enough of the republicans dirty style of governing.

by Bill	Sep 19, 2008 8:29 PM
A McCainiac push poller called with loaded and illegitimate questions. Republicans decided early that there's no way for the old guy and the bimbette to win legitimately, so they want to steal the election. Again. I'm no longer undecided - Go Obama!

by Nicole	Sep 19, 2008 8:10 PM
What legal action can be taken in a case like this? What possibilities are there to prevent LYING in ads, which McCain did so often? At least it should be mentioned in the TV-news and publicised wherever possible!!!

by Sandra	Sep 19, 2008 7:03 PM
I think this should be called vote tampering. There should be criminal charges and some accountability. I'm so very tired of their lies and dirty tricks.

by Matt	Sep 19, 2008 5:31 PM
Republicans know they're in trouble if we have a fair election where eligible voter is allowed to cast a ballot. So now they're lying to voters about their registration and I'll be John McCain is just torn up over it.

by Sally	Sep 19, 2008 8:09 AM
Callers into progressive radio programs are reporting this activity is going on in most of the swing or purple states. I think there should be a law against such activities. It's too bad the McCain campaign can't be fined.

by ED	Sep 19, 2008 8:09 AM
This is absolutely un-american. T think that a party would knowingly try and stop citizens from voting by using slimy tricks, should be punihable by jail time.

by gloria	Sep 19, 2008 8:09 AM
It doesn't surprise me about the Republicans, especially in Florida, however here in NJ at the beginning of the year I received a letter from the RNC looking for money and saying I was registered with them...I told them to stay away from me ..period

by Jaime	Sep 19, 2008 8:09 AM
That is just so horrible. What an indecent way to try to manipulate and confuse people. I hope someone undoes any damage done. How low will they go!

by Anne	Sep 19, 2008 8:09 AM
And this man represents integrity and honor???? He doesn't know the meaning of the words anymore - any respect I ever had for him as a human being - I have lost completely - for his endorsement and promulgation of such low-life, underhanded tactics!

by Larry	Sep 19, 2008 8:09 AM
Very sneaky! You either respond with a pledge or we put you on list to be challenged at election time.

by Alana	Sep 19, 2008 8:09 AM
My mom got one of those letters as well. She could not believe it. She was so furious!

by Carol	Sep 19, 2008 8:09 AM
Here's an idea. Maybe they should not allow vote challenging in places that received the mailers. This might discourage the practice in future elections.

by Laura	Sep 19, 2008 8:09 AM
Another sleazy republican trick. Approved by john mccain no doubt. What slime. I wouldn't vote repug if they were the only ones running and I've never missed an election.

by Dave	Sep 19, 2008 8:08 AM
That's amazing. They are doing the same thing in Wisconsin with a similar mailer + the State Atty. General, co-chair of the McCain WI campaign, is suing the State to purge election rolls. What they are doing doesn't pass the smell test.

by Tom	Sep 19, 2008 8:08 AM
Why is there a 24 hour delay?

by Sean	Sep 19, 2008 8:08 AM
This is one of hundreds of campaigns all across the country to suppress the vote. They mail Democrats letters, if the letters return, then Republicans might be able to challenge the person's right to vote on grounds of where they live. In other words, they are compiling a list of Democrats to screw on Election Day.

by Brenda	Sep 18, 2008 9:09 PM
The Republicans continue to resort to the say anything, do anything tactics that we see year ,after year, after year.

by Neal	Sep 18, 2008 8:52 PM
It give "Patriotic American" a novel slant.

by Julie	Sep 18, 2008 8:52 PM
Time to call in the United Nation to monitor our election process!

by Angela	Sep 18, 2008 8:52 PM
Snakes plain and simple, I hate them so much.

by Jill	Sep 18, 2008 8:51 PM
Someone must do something to stop the unethical/criminal acts of the Republicans. Our country is at stake.

by Tom	Sep 18, 2008 8:50 PM
This is vote caging! Not an allegation, a fact. The Republican party is attempting to disqualify voters, that they know will not vote Republican. After stealing two presidential elections in a row, did you think that they would just leave it up to us

by ALICE	Sep 18, 2008 8:48 PM
RECYCLE,RECYCLE RECYCLE!!

by Bob	Sep 18, 2008 8:46 PM
Friends in NPR rec'd this GOP Mailer also. It seems to be a much more wide-spread attempt to steal another election.

by M	Sep 18, 2008 8:46 PM
Same thing happening in Southern California.

by Russ	Sep 18, 2008 8:44 PM
They sent "postage prepaid" envelopes? Hmm, I remember when I was in college and parking tickets were "postage prepaid". We paid the money, and taped the envelope to cinder blocks....

by Rose	Sep 18, 2008 5:28 PM
What desperation. They are trying to steal this election again, and perhaps the supreme court will give it to them.

by Carolyn	Sep 18, 2008 5:28 PM
McCain and others who perpetrated this fraud should be arrested, and put in jail! How dare they take advantage of our senior citizens. McCain, is this how you protects American citizens? Something is very wrong and sick here!

by andrea	Sep 18, 2008 5:27 PM
I received the letter last week and i just returned it with a little note. NO WAY, NO HOW, NO MCCAIN, NO PALIN....

by Kate	Sep 18, 2008 5:04 PM
It's caging, pure and simple. I wish that the Democrats would encourage everyone to vote absentee. That way you will know your vote counts and won't have to stand in line.

by Mark	Sep 18, 2008 5:04 PM
What would you expect from the republican leadership?

by Sue	Sep 18, 2008 5:02 PM
I live in N. California and also received one of these letters. Wondered why I received one since I am registered Dem., so I ripped it up.

by Kelly	Sep 18, 2008 4:56 PM
What the republicans are trying to do once again is steal an election when they know they don't have a chance in hell of winning. I always knew that the republican party couldn't be trusted, they did iy with Kerry and Gore, i see nothings changed.