Republicans Say Florida GOP Suppressed Democratic Vote

Cuts to early voting were part of a nefarious strategy, allegedly

As you may recall, the weekend before the election saw Floridians waiting in 7-hour lines to vote, scenes that former NJ Gov. Christine Whitman described as "worse than a third world country."

At the time, former Republican Party of Florida Chairman Jim Greer told anyone who'd listen that the voting chaos was the result of nefarious GOP efforts to suppress the Democratic vote.

Greer's allegations are now backed up by Florida's ex-Republican Gov. Charlie Christ, GOP consultant Wayne Bertsch, and another unnamed Republican consultant. They all claim that state Republicans passed a law (HB 1355) curtailing early voting purely in order to reduce the number of Democratic votes cast.

The anonymous GOP consultant explained his party's strategy: "I know that the cutting out of the Sunday before Election Day was one of their targets only because that's a big day when the black churches organize themselves," he told the Palm Beach Post.

Other Republicans pour scorn on the claims, however, pointing out that Greer is under indictment for misuse of campaign funds, and Crist is no longer a Republican and seen as an enemy of the party.

Via Yahoo News and the Palm Beach Post.

Do you believe the allegations that the GOP set out to reduce the Democratic vote?

[Republican5001]

Not at all. Early voting is a matter of convienence, not a right. The only right you have to vote is on Tuesday.

[martydotcom]

Democracy is dependant upon legal voters being able to vote in a free unimpeded fashion . A single " black panther " brought cries of angst, " voter intimidation," but legislative removal of a time honored traditional early vote after church the Sunday before election day is just fine for the racist GOP.
The GOP black caucus is a lonely place How are those demographics working out for you

[Republican5001]

@martydotcom well, since I am white, I couldn't tell you how lonely the black GOP caucus is. Moreover, since I don't live in Florida and their state rules for early voting are theirs, it is Florida's problem to deal with if there is one. I do, however, support voter ID laws. I am curious how you deduced the GOP is racist?

[martydotcom]

@Republican5001 I guess the fact that there is only one black member of congress in 2013 would be a solid indicator as would the 90% anti GOP vote

[martydotcom]

@Republican5001 Btw I'm white and a resident of Palm Beach county where the supervisor of elections is borderline criminally

[EL_Guapo]

Every state doesn't vote on Tuesday; there are plenty of options as to casting ballots, throughout the US of A.

Making the voting process difficult to decrease turnout....yeah, that's really indicative of wanting to hear the true voice of the people....NOT!!! But who cares, Republicans got to have hope for 3 1/2 more hours as a result. How wonder how many heart attacks and strokes happened, during those three and 1/2 hours? The way Romney and his supporters were looking, someone they knew had to have died.

Did you avoid the mirror for a few days as well?

[MRMacrum]

Definitely I believe the allegations. Greer's troubles with the law are also suspect and a probable set up by his former GOP buds.

[martydotcom]

Live in Palm Beach County the rage over dysfunctional electoral system remains. Daily letters editor. Most rejoicing in the defeat of Allen West

[mudzangandoro]

MRMacrum; I am with you. I believe also...

[mimi57]

LOL...they just love to "project", it's sooo beneficial for the Chicago Political Machine!
Too funny, especially when everyone knows who was rigging the voting machines...

[woodtick57]

Any proof of that claim?

[Keyjo]

Are you sure Jeb is even in Florida anymore?

[mimi57]

@woodtick57 Didn't mean to vote you up..yeah, my husband grew up there and we lived there for three years,
anyone from Chicago knows all about the Daley's and the 'Chicago Machine'..I could go on and post sites, but
you would dispute them anyway...do some homework and look up Chicago Politics, you know, the place our
President did his "community organizing" at. You'll find out a lot of things..but, living in denial, I'm sure they won't
sink in..it doesn't change the truth, the truth doesn't need to change..however, lies have to change constantly, funny
how that works.

[woodtick57]

@mimi57
i don't look at votes up or any of that stuff. i look at the rationality of people's posts. i noticed no proof of your claim.

[mimi57]

@woodtick57 You'll never find "proof" , that's why they are called the "Political Machine".
Maybe some day...about the same time they find the body of Jimmy Hoffa. LOL

[woodtick57]

i have never encountered such a wait to vote. is there some reason they can't have more polling stations? Do they only have one booth per 10,000 voters?

[Sonny]

Its like I have said many times here before..The republican party was deliberately trying to suppress the Democratic Vote...And now you have here one of their own confirming Exactly what I have been saying...Does anyone else here want to dispute these facts?

[DegredWhiteGuy]

They have done this well in Florida. having in-roads from doing it on Governor and judicial levels under Gov Jeb Bush. It is almost ironic a former GOP Gov (Charlie C) of Fla is sick of the state not being a democracy. This tiny handful risking the party line could save it from low information reactionaries making it irrelevant .

[Keyjo]

Wow! You can't be honest and a Republican simultaneously it would appear.
But I'm glad that there are at least a few honest Florida Republicans willing to sacrifice their careers in the name of honesty.
Always, you have to keep close tabs on Florida and Ohio Republicans.
Keep your friends close and your Republicans closer!

[Keyjo]

I meant honest and a Republican official in Florida

[woodtick57]

Florida overall seems to have a hard time holding proper elections. perhaps we should disallow them in national contests until they have proven they are capable of organizing this most basic of US constructs...

[Keyjo]

@woodtick57
Naw, we just need to allow foreign observers to ride roughshod over them.

[AceLuby]

Most definitely. If you can't broaden your base, the only logical solution is to do whatever you can to have people NOT vote for the other guy, and what better way to do that then to legally make voting and registration as difficult as possible.

There is absolutely no reason that registering to vote can't happen automatically when you do your taxes. There is also absolutely no reason why a person shouldn't be able to vote online using the same information you use to do your taxes. This would cut down the lines and increase voter turnout substantially, but like I said before, if your goal is to decrease voter turnout the best solution is to make it as difficult as possible.

[Fishbone345]

Oh Florida. Still not there yet are you?
They call it "Gods waiting room" for a reason.

[Sonny]

Call them what ever the hell you want---Bottom line...The republican party, did, indeed, try to suppress the vote. And frankly I think that someone needs to go to jail behind this BS.

[Dan_Tien]

As a rule of thumb, I am skeptical of any claims that politicians make. It is entertaining to hear Republicans accusing Republicans of a nefarious plot against the Democrats though.

[Neo_NtheMatrix]

It's not a Republican. Charlie Crist is a Democrat. Don't believe everything the liberal media tells you.

[Dan_Tien]

@Neo_NtheMatrix I don't believe everything that ANY media source tells me. They do not tell the truth, or do not tell the whole truth, such as reports that Charlie Crist WAS a Republican but is NOW reported to be a 3rd Party Independent AND a Democrat by different sources.

[DARSB]

@Neo_NtheMatrix You are, as is usually the case, factually incorrect. Gov Crist was elected on the Republican ticket and remained a Republican until the Teapartistas put Marco Rubio forward in a senatorial race. At that point Gov Crist switched to an independent candidacy.

I will now wait the usual five minutes or so for you to re-phrase your erroneous statement in such a way that will make you seem informed.

[Sonny]

@Neo_NtheMatrix This ain't the "liberal media" pal...This is one of your own....And someone should be prosecuted!

[Neo_NtheMatrix]

Heresy.

[woodtick57]

once again confusing the myth of religion with the real world of politics...

[Neo_NtheMatrix]

Charlie Crist? He's no Republican. He fled the party to seek shelter under the obama. No, we patriots reject this smear campaign. Go home liberals, go home.

[Keyjo]

Mutany Mr. Crist!? You shall hang Sir, you shall hang.
Thou shalt not oppose your tyrant Captain, Mr. Crist.

[martydotcom]

@Neo_NtheMatrix At least Allen West got thrown out by the voters in his new gerrymandered district

[martydotcom]

@Neo_NtheMatrix Charlie will be next Gov. of Florida if he chooses to run. Scott's ratings are ~30%

[KyleMFb]

Ha ha is this even still being debated???? It's well known that that's was the point of installing all the new laws the GOP tried to put in place and they failed miserable and im sure if all the new laws weren't in place they would have lost even bigger hell top GOP idiots admitted that was the point of the laws to prevent as much democrats from voting

[mtkopf]

When one person says it I don't believe it. But, when four people say allege the same thing, then I start to take notice.
Furthermore, could this be one of the reasons for Christ leaving the Republican Party?

[Keyjo]

Yeah, it seems that the Justice Department might be inclined to do some investigating.
For all their debauchery, they still couldn't get Romney elected.

[mtkopf]

@Keyjo yeah but then all the right wing nut jobs (Coulter, Rush) will scream to high heaven that any investigation is politically motivated.
On the plus side, I would love to see posts here. Imagine b.s. and lgrepublican, how upset they would be. Wow the imagery of that just brightened my day.

[Keyjo]

@mtkopf
Well see!? Let Coulter and Limberger scream. Maybe they'll lose their voices.
And we can take joy in the aforementioned "plus side."

[mtkopf]

When one person says it I don't pay attention. But, when four people allege the same thing, then I start to take notice.
Furthermore, could this be one of the reasons that Christ left the Republican party?

[ACTSmom]

No...the allegations coming from Greer and Crist are non-starters. One is a criminal and ousted from the GOP legislature and Crist went from being a republican governor to Independent/Obama supporter when he lost the republican nomination for US senate. Sour grapes both.

[woodtick57]

Seems all the conservatives are leaving the gop...Wht will that leave them with? Bachmann, Perry, Santorum and the othher asylum members?

[Neo_NtheMatrix]

@woodtick57 - Exactly who is "all the conservatives"? We're fine. It's your party that needs to watch out.

[ACTSmom]

@woodtick57 ...I doubt all conservatives are leaving the GOP. I personally have never been GOP...independent me. But, like many Americans, I lean to the right of center. And, amazingly, it seems the more the far left gets its claws imbedded into our politics, the farther right I go. Someday maybe I'll be a right winger after all.

[woodtick57]

@ACTSmom
Nor ave I ever been affiliated with any political party. Being conservative cannot jibe with the current iteration of the gop. Do not confuse being further right with being more conservative. the radical right is not conservative by definition...

[woodtick57]

@Neo_NtheMatrix

i have no party. once agian your partisanship blinds you from seeing any real facts and you end up makingg assinine assumptions...

[DerivePI]

Yes. It has become standard practice for the party in power to use their position to maintain their position. I suppose this type of manipulation might shock some (if your head is buried and your brain is dead) but gerrymandering and using public resources for advertising (of course not for explicit campaigning mind you) is legal and continues to bolster incumbants' chances of re-election. Although frustrating, the local jurisdictions must sort these foolish indiscretions out on their own. I'd also recommend developing several unified national voting standards that could be adopted by the local juridictions in order to remove the possibility and perception of continued voter dissatisfaction (sort of like our current building codes).

[PayThatCEO]

I should think it would come as a shock to you, as well. Are U.S. elections as corrupt and underhanded as those in 3rd world countries now? Should we endorse a political campaign where anything goes? What does that say about US, the voters, who sit back and allow ourselves to be manipulated?

[ASmith]

The only voting fraud that happened during the 2012 elections was the GOP's attempts to prevent non-whites and poor people from voting. And the only people who are surprised to hear about this are the ignorant and the teabaggers...but I repeat myself.

GOP voting fraud has been going on since 2006, and in 2008, and 2010, not just now. It has been an ongoing campaign that targeted people and areas likely to vote democrat.

[DARSB]

And yet President Obama took Florida fairly handily, even capturing the previously reliably Republican Cuban vote. It looks like the potent day GOP is about as good at suppressing minority votes as it is at winning Presidential elections.

[RobertJHarsh]

Yes and it appears the GOP did a bad job. Or the GOP doesn't know what suppressing the vote actually means. Let me check the map...yep...Obama won Florida.

[Waynestew]

Again I say there is hope for the Republican Party. Where are all these new Republicans coming from that dares defy the monster that is the GOP?

[Romney2012]

I'd beleive it if it were the other way around!