California Voters Say They Were Tricked Into Registering As Republicans

[Joanne98]

Dozens of newly minted Republican voters say they were duped into joining the party by a GOP contractor with a trail of fraud complaints stretching across the country.

Voters contacted by The Times said they were tricked into switching parties while signing what they believed were petitions for tougher penalties against child molesters. Some said they were told that they had to become Republicans to sign the petition, contrary to California initiative law. Others had no idea their registration was being changed.

Read the whole story here.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/10/18/california-voters-say-the_n_135809.html

[iamthebandfanman]

1. gullible much ? n/t

[kestrel91316]

2. Here's how much that affects their vote on Nov. 4: ZERO.

If you got switched, it's easy as pie to fix: simply pick up a registration form at any post office or library or government office, and REREGISTER yourself as a Democrat. Party affiliation only matters when it's a primary and those are finished for the year.

Yes, this was despicable and criminal, but it is not relevant to the general election in November.

[mecherosegarden]

3. Something similar

When I changed my driver license from WA to CA , I also registered to vote. When I received my registration card, someone have registered me as Republican!!! I sent the registration back with a big DEMOCRAT writing on top of the Republican registration. It took a while to get my registration card back, but now I have it with the right information.It amazes me that it took 3 months
to get my registration card. We are voting this monday.
:bounce:

[lligrd]

4. Californians Need To Quit Signing Petitions On The Street

If you really support the cause do some investigating on-line before signing and sign the petition on-line. I wish they'd make it illegal to pay for signatures.

[Mz Pip]

5. I agree

I stopped signing them years ago. The initiative process has given CA bad laws and has mandated programs that have driven up the debt.

[AndyTiedye]

6. Only Matters In the Primaries

If the ones who were switched are still in the Republican party when the primaries come around
that could cause some interesting results in the Republican primaries in California, since there
are not that many real Republicans in the state.

[rvablue]

7. Party affiliation in CA is almost like a vanity

It doesn't matter one bit....even for the primary.

On primary day, you go in and can request either a Democratic or a Republican ballot and it doesn't matter how you are registered.

I can see for some ardent Dems that they would be pissed anyway, but in CA your party affiliation doesn't hem you in in any way.

Lived there, voted there many times, know all of this through experience.

[Retrograde]

8. that is no longer the case

CA briefly had open primaries as you describe. But that changed a few election cycles back. Currently, parties can decide if they want to let non-party members vote in their primaries. This year, Democrats let non-partisan voters request a Democratic ballot (as did one minor party), but Republicans limited their primary to registered Republicans.

Getting back to the original post: people, you're supposed to READ things before you sign them. Sheesh.

[rvablue]

9. Sorry.....moved away before the 2004 election

and thanks for schooling me .... that's why I love DU!