Why do you think Shrub is urging voters to do absentee vote?

[napi21]

I just received this in the NBC First Read email this morning. I can think of several possible reasons:

If you vote early, you can't change your mind at the last minute.

The paper ballots can be double counted (it just happened in a Fla. primary!)

He doesn't believe in electronic voting either!

(snip)
President Bush has "signed" an e-mail to supporters in New Hampshire reading, "Starting today, you can request your ballot by mail, and soon you can cast an early ballot at early vote locations in your area. If you're going to be busy on November 2nd, I encourage you to take this opportunity and vote early. There's even a special page on our campaign website to make the process easier." That page reads, "If you are a registered voter, you may be eligible to cast your vote early by mail or in person. Please fill out the form below, and we will provide you with your local election official's information, their official ballot request form and the early voting requirements for your state."

[roseBudd]

1. he wants people to vote before the debates

[cthrumatrix]

2. locking up the vote ... or maybe computer voting issues.. or more

[ikojo]

3. Because the pugs know that the electronic

voting machines are unreliable and they are making sure THEIR votes are properly counted.

I hope the Dems are urging absentee voting in those areas where electronic voting is being used. I don't think it's being used in Missouri, at least not at my polling place. I am sure it if was being used the media would be having instructional stories on how to use the machines.

[libertad]

4. Because they can screen the received ballots and find ways to disqualify

DEM votes by small technicalities, such as signature issues, mailing issues, unclear markings, etc.

[havocmom]

5. All of the above + opportunity to disenfranchise selected people

Plus, don't be surprised if people helping others to request absentee ballots don't manage to misplace or otherwise delay many of the forms.

A political consultant to some far right candidates in AZ was found guilty of that. Seems he delayed thousands of forms and a lot of folks didn't get to vote in the AZ primary. He was mining the forms for info he could sell to his political clients. Turned in 9000 forms in one week in August but many were dated from June & July. The guy was working against moderate GOP candidates in AZ and even the GOP is going after him. Seems he misrepresented his fliers to appear they came from the party.

http://www.tucsonweekly.com/gbase/Currents/Content?oid=oid%3A60083 (about 3 items from top, under header: "Ballot Boxed"

<snip> In an act of breathtaking audacity, Querard dropped a mailer to tens of thousands of households in Maricopa County that appeared to be an official communication from the Republican Party. The mailer offered to take care of getting early ballots to voters who returned the card.

<snip> That alone isn't all that unusual; campaigns and political parties do it all the time. But Querard didn't note who paid for the mailing--a detail which was called illegal by a Maricopa County judge last week.

<snip> And get this: Querard took his scam a step further. Rather than turn over the requests to Maricopa County officials so they could be processed and voters could get their ballots, Querard decided to hang onto thousands of them, ultimately bringing a shit-hammer down on his own head.

<snip> Last week, the Maricopa County Republican Party, Maricopa County election officials and a pair of GOP lawmakers took Querard to court over his selective manipulation of the early-ballot requests. Following a hearing last week, Querard told the Arizona Republic he's turned over all of the requests he got in the mail--but then, that's what the lying sack of shit told reporters a week earlier, only to turn in nearly 2,000 requests a few days later. </>*



Any idea that crooked is probably being used by GOP operatives all over the nation. And, seems they don't mind eating their own.

* Gads, I do love the Tucson Weekly. They call shit shit.

edit: add to header

[Pirate Smile]

6. Well, I am in a swing state and the Dem state party called and asked

me if I or anyone in my house needed an Absentee ballot. I told them I plan on voting on election day. They sent me a request form anyway.

I also received an Absentee ballot request form from ACT.

Now I am wondering if I should just go ahead and vote Absentee (we seem to be encouraging it too)?

Any advice?

[qwlauren35]

7. You are ABSOLUTELY Right!

He wants to lock in his votes before Kerry can swing them the other way. He's sending this message out NOW, while he has momentum, to counter-act the Kerry "method" of pulling ahead in the home-stretch.

Suffice to say, we'll have to move up the timing on the "home-stretch" by about 3 weeks. I hope Kerry starts hitting hard in early October.

[9119495]

8. Both are doing it to GOTV

Getting out the vote is key for both. Bush won't call me, but he will call reps. and Indies to win. Kerry is doing it too.

You really have to twist people's arms to get them to vote anymore...and that is actually what Ashcroft's men will be doing for GWB's reelction in 2008 (if he wins this time).