WJXT-TV [Jacksonville, FL]
July 25, 2004
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- Dario Cruz has lived in the United States for 16 years, but just became a citizen last week as he and about 200 other immigrants were naturalized.
One of the things he had always wanted to do was register to vote, but when he was offered the chance to do that right outside the ceremony, he knew something wasn't right -- the place on the form where you're asked to choose Democrat, Republican or independent was already filled out.
"It's like one side," Cruz said. "You don't get to choose." According to Cruz and his family, every form was checked off Republican.
| One of the things he had always wanted to do was register to vote, but when he was offered the chance to do that right outside the ceremony, he knew something wasn't right -- the place on the form where you're asked to choose Democrat, Republican or independent was already filled out.
"It's like one side," Cruz said. "You don't get to choose."
According to Cruz and his family, every form was checked off Republican. |
|
|
|
It was something his wife, Linda Cross, first noticed. She said she asked what was going on, and was told the woman registering voters said they were with a Republican organization. "I am Republican," she told Channel 4's Jim Piggott. "I was very angry with that if they want to register whatever party, you shouldn't try to dictate to people what party they are going to register; who they are going to vote for, because then you don't have any freedom."
The couple left without registering, but they did tell local Democratic Party officials what happened.
"These new citizens that were coming out and maybe did not know much of what was going on were all registering Republican," Cross said. "Not by choice, but by someone else's choice."
Clyde Collins, who runs the local Democratic Party, says this practice is not right, and as informed federal officials about the incident. They told him an investigation is underway. "First of all, it violates your fundamental right," Collins said. "You have right to decide which political party you wish to enroll."
Collins says those who were sworn in last week will be contacted and told they have the right to register for the party of their choice.
For Cruz, that is what's important. "I think you should be able to choose who you want to vote for," he said.
For the record, any registered voter can vote for any candidate of any party in a general election, but in most primaries in Florida, people can only vote for candidates of their own party. Channel 4 has tried contracting federal officials about this issue since last Friday and have not received a response, nor have local Republican leaders responded.
Folio Weekly will have more on this story in this week's paper. [Editor's note: Articles from the area's Folio Weekly are not available on-line.]
Published by
WJXT-TV [Jacksonville, FL]
What do you think?
This material is copyrighted by its original publisher.
It is reprinted by Unknown News without permission, solely for purposes of criticism, comment, and news reporting, in accordance with the Fair Use Guidelines of copyright material under § 107 of U.S.C. Title 17.
|
There's much more than this at Unknown News.
|
From the archives, July 16, 2004:
A bigger threat to November's election than any terrorists' attackby Madeline Zane, Unknown News
From the archives, May 19, 2004:
Feds threaten subpenna against activist for honest vote counts
From the archives, May 18, 2004:
The people's paper trail
by Carlos Pecciotto Jr., Unknown News
From the archives, May 6, 2004:
Officials warn against receipts for electronic ballots
# with comments by Phil
From the archives, April 30, 2004:
California Secretary Of State
bans electronic voting
From the archives, April 28, 2004:
Two companies & two brothers will count 80% of U.S. ballots
From the archives, April 23, 2004:
Diebold may face criminal charges
From the archives, April 22, 2004:
Diebold apologizes for
disenfranchising California voters
From the archives, March 14, 2004:
Designer of verified vote system
dies in unlucky accident
From the archives, March 4, 2004:
A deafening silence as democracy expires
From the archives, Feb. 24, 2004:
Diebold, electronic voting and
the vast right-wing conspiracy
From the archives, Feb. 15, 2004:
Would you like a receipt with that election?
Technologists advocate a paper trail
for electronic voting machines
From the archives, Feb. 6, 2004:
Michigan plans internet vote
despite hacking risks
From the archives, Feb. 6, 2004:
Company lied about voting machine's reliability
From the archives, Jan. 30, 2004:
This week in vote fraud
From the archives, Jan. 20, 2004:
Company with worst e-voting security record produces machines with wireless capability
From the archives, Jan. 17, 2004:
This week in U.S. election fraud
From the archives, Dec. 14, 2003:
Vote system provides receipt, verification that your vote was counted
|
|
|
