Althouse: "Felons Voting Illegally May Have Put Franken Over the Top in Minnesota, Study Finds."

July 12, 2010

"Felons Voting Illegally May Have Put Franken Over the Top in Minnesota, Study Finds."

At least 341 convicted felons voted, illegally, in Minneapolis-St. Paul, and Franken won by 312 votes.

So... at what rate do convicted felons go Democratic... in predominantly Democratic twin cities?

126 comments:

David said...: Yeah, but the other guy (old what's his name) got the drunk, stoned, old and stupid vote.; 7/12/10, 12:59 PM
mesquito said...: Oh, I'd say about 341-0.; 7/12/10, 12:59 PM
1775OGG said...: Hey, just something for Al (Mr. Smiley) Franklin to joke about.

Nothing to Cheer about!; 7/12/10, 1:05 PM
Scott M said...: Holy Voter Fraud, Stewart!

Let's assume for a moment that the invalid votes did put him over the top. Then what? Even if it can be proven beyond a reasonable doubt that they were cast for him...then what? WTF do you think this DoJ is going to do about it?

The one silver lining here is that, should the above be the case, those in favor of minimizing voter fraud regardless of who it benefits can use this as a battle standard going into the mid-terms.; 7/12/10, 1:06 PM
KCFleming said...: I recall being ridiculed by fls, HDHouse, and others for stating that Franken won by fraud at the time of the election.

My wife was an election judge who saw and reported some of the shenanigans; nothing came of it. I myself saw one man vouch for a busload of Muslim women in veils or full niqab, then proceed to "help" them vote.

Complete bullshit.
Iraq has a more honest system.; 7/12/10, 1:06 PM
Phil 314 said...: Key quote from the article:

"We aren't trying to change the result of the last election. That legally can't be done," said Dan McGrath, Minnesota Majority's executive director. "We are just trying to make sure the integrity of the next election isn't compromised."; 7/12/10, 1:07 PM
G Joubert said...: If it isn't close to begin with, they can't steal it. Or can they anyway?; 7/12/10, 1:10 PM
Shanna said...: I was a little more concerned about imaginary votes found in people's trunks, but this is a problem too. And who wants to leave dead people and felons on the voter rolls? Hint, it isn't republicans.; 7/12/10, 1:10 PM
Skyler said...: Duh. Voting fraud to get Franken elected? I thought it was pretty clear at the time. Minnesotans ought to have been outraged, but the supinely submitted to it.

The pity is that the rest of us pay for their lethargy.; 7/12/10, 1:12 PM
Anonymous said...: Which party is pretty obviously in full favor of voter fraud?

I'll give you one guess.; 7/12/10, 1:13 PM
Original Mike said...: "So... at what rate do convicted felons go Democratic... in predominantly Democratic twin cities?"

I'd guess north of 150%.; 7/12/10, 1:14 PM
TosaGuy said...: Of course the Mpls Star-Tribune has not posted this yet in it's political blog/column.

http://www.startribune.com/politics/blogs/Hot_Dish_Politics.html?elr=KArksLckD8EQDUoaEyqyP4O:DW3ckUiD3aPc:_Yyc:aUgOy9cP3DieyckcUsI; 7/12/10, 1:15 PM
Psota said...: The Senate has become increasingly unrepresentative. Right now, we have:

1. Roland Burris (appointed)

2. Kristen Gillebrand (appointed)

3. Mark Bennet (appointed)

4. Ted Kaufman (appointed)

5. Bob Menendez (appointed)

6. Al Franken (sued for his seat. benefited from "voting irregularities")

7. Mark Begich (narrowly beat Ted Stevens after Stevens was convicted of fraud, a conviction that was later overturned on the grounds of prosecutoral misconduct)

Maria Cantwell and Mary Landrieu have also won elections thanks to "midnight returns from Precinct 13" style maneuvers.

And don't forget Robert Byrd and Ted Kennedy who each died in office after lingering for a couple years.

There's also Tim Johnson, who was incapacitated by a stroke, and has still not yet fully recovered...but won re-election in 2008 anyway.

Oh. I almost forgot Frank Lautenberg who managed to get on the ballot in NJ despite missing the deadline to get his name on the ballot. (The scandal plagued Bob Torricelli should properly have been on the ballot).

That's the Democrats' Senate majority right there. Are Republicans even trying?!; 7/12/10, 1:16 PM
I'm Full of Soup said...: From an historical perspective, Franken's win gave the Dems a bullet proof Senate majority and that allowed Pres Obama to veer far left and enact Obamacare, the Spendulus, etc. His tack to the far left has effectively ruined his presidency [so far].

Ironic, sin't it, that an election stolen by Dems may have destroyed a Dem president's term.

wv = doperste; 7/12/10, 1:20 PM
Ben (The Tiger in Exile) said...: Can't elections be overturned?

I remember reading in history books about various congressmen who were elected, then turfed, or who got their opponents' elections overturned.; 7/12/10, 1:26 PM
victoria said...: Quite honestly the results are from a conservative think tank, an organization that would rather have the grim sleeper serial killer in office than a "liberal" like Franken.And reported to the public on Fox, the least fair and balanced network in existence.
Grain of salt, baby, grain of salt.

Vicki from Pasadena; 7/12/10, 1:29 PM
victoria said...: Sore losers,I say. Lets hope they can get the nut job Bachmann out of office in November. The country will be better for it.

Vicki; 7/12/10, 1:30 PM
Original Mike said...: Could a citizen sue to invalidate ObamaCare on the grounds that it wouldn't have passed if it weren't for a fradulent election?; 7/12/10, 1:30 PM
KCFleming said...: This comment has been removed by the author.; 7/12/10, 1:30 PM
garage mahal said...: Oh get over it already!; 7/12/10, 1:31 PM
MadisonMan said...: Why can't felons vote?

I'm assuming (I think I'm right) that these were not incarcerated felons, but people who had served their time and were released. It's never been clear to me why the right to vote is taken away. I should read about the history of this restriction, I guess. My broad guess is that all felonies in the past were way more serious than some felonies now. Sort of reverse grade inflation.

(Not that they should be voting if it's against the law, of course).; 7/12/10, 1:32 PM
Original Mike said...: So Vicki: You and I would both agree that the DOJ or Minnesota should investigate the list of names in order to demonstrate there nothing to it.

Right?; 7/12/10, 1:33 PM
KCFleming said...: "Oh get over it already!"

Get over it?
Hell, we'd better get used to it.

I mean, shit, why even hold elections at all if the race is to see who can fill out the most phony ballots?

Christ, vicki and garage, have you any idea what your stance ultimately entails?

Of course you do.; 7/12/10, 1:34 PM
I'm Full of Soup said...: I live in PA, been in the same home for four years and yet the county / township mails voter info to my house addressed to 6-7 former residents. One day I am going to ask to look at the voting rolls to see how many people are registered to vote from my address.

[I seem to recall, after the 2000 Florida debacle, the pols promised to fix all these problems]; 7/12/10, 1:41 PM
Original Mike said...: Get over what, specifically, garage?; 7/12/10, 1:44 PM
Anonymous said...: My guess is that there is a fair amount of bipartisan voter fraud and human error in every election. SWAG--way less than .5%. Sometimes it makes a difference--pretty rarely, though. If the procedures can reasonably be tightened up, they should be. Bottom line--work your tail off for yur candidate so that the other guy can't steal the election.; 7/12/10, 1:44 PM
MnMark said...: Uh, Vicki - read the story. Their findings were confirmed by the government official in charge of investigating these things in Ramsey County.

They weren't taken seriously at first, so they went back and went over it with a fine tune comb and now the government official confirms that their data is accurate.; 7/12/10, 1:45 PM
Ben (The Tiger in Exile) said...: Can't overturn ObamaCare.

Just have to elect a new Congress and a new president.

Franken's election, though -- I bet that could be overturned. It wasn't so long ago that that sort of thing was out of the ordinary.

More illegal votes than the margin of victory? That's cause enough for a re-vote.; 7/12/10, 1:50 PM
bagoh20 said...: What does it take for people to see? I really am wondering. I never thought I would see such failed character in my nation as I have witnessed over the last 5 years.

Every virtue has been sacrificed for politics. Nothing is even remotely clean; no standard, no principle, no person no law has been spared.

Is this new or am I just an old fart lapsing into old fartiness? You older farts should know the answer.; 7/12/10, 1:50 PM
KCFleming said...: But vicki is aware of that MNMark, so is garage.

They just don't give a shit if elections are fraudulent, just so long as their fraud is the one elected.; 7/12/10, 1:52 PM
gk1 said...: Funny, the liberal outrage over the "stolen" 2000 election makes way for a collosal yawn when the democrats benefit from voter "irregularities". Strange, very strange.; 7/12/10, 1:53 PM
garage mahal said...: Get over what, specifically, garage?

I've heard from people like Scalia, and other conservatives, that the left should just "get over" the 2000 election.; 7/12/10, 1:54 PM
traditionalguy said...: Sounds like DemonRats are bragging about their main skill set again. They enfranchise every body that breathes or doesn't breath. Rules about votes and the proper counting of votes are a joke to them.; 7/12/10, 1:56 PM
john said...: If it wasn't for Barkley, the other loser would have won. It wouldn't have mattered that all the dead felons in Ramsey Co. voted for Franken.

Besides, with the recount being overseen by both an ex pro-wrestler and an ex pro-footbal lineman, what could have gone wrong?

Too much complaining.; 7/12/10, 1:56 PM
bagoh20 said...: Vicki and Garage think it's just fine to steal an election. I wonder if they would vote with or against the convicted felons.; 7/12/10, 1:57 PM
AlphaLiberal said...: Let me fix that for you, Ann:

"Conservative Group Pukes Up Bullshit to Discredit Franken"

Faux News regurgitates the bullshit and Althouse acts as a dutiful part of the right wing echo chamber.

One of your most disgusting posts to date, Ann Althouse. Way to catapult the propaganda!; 7/12/10, 2:00 PM
A.W. said...: the question is not how much appeal the dems have, but how much appeal the angry clown has.; 7/12/10, 2:00 PM
Steve M. Galbraith said...: "The 'liberal' Al Franken"?

Victoria, he's a liberal.; 7/12/10, 2:01 PM
john said...: You can't puke up bullshit, AL.

Well, maybe you can.; 7/12/10, 2:01 PM
Scott M said...: I've heard from people like Scalia, and other conservatives, that the left should just "get over" the 2000 election.

...so you agree with Scalia?; 7/12/10, 2:03 PM
former law student said...: The voters may or may not have been convicted felons. Reading further in the article we learn that all that the "Minnesota Majority" can say was that they found people with the same names and birth years, living in the same communities as the convicted felons. Even so, the convicts may have been sentenced to probation, which upon successful completion would not have taken their civil rights away.

Considering the demographics of MN, I wouldn't be surprised if several Ole Olsons or Yon Yonsons were running around, in and out of jail.

But I agree that matching felons and voters is worth looking into, even if the number melts away.

Originally felons were executed, which would have prevented this problem. But our namby-pamby PC politocracy backed away from that years ago.; 7/12/10, 2:05 PM
AlphaLiberal said...: John:

"You can't puke up bullshit, AL."

You're right, I can't.

Conservatives do seem to gobble it up, though, making the bullshit puking all the more possible.; 7/12/10, 2:05 PM
AlphaLiberal said...: they found people with the same names and birth years, living in the same communities as the convicted felons

Well anybody knows that no two people in the same community have the same name. Right?

What lying crap!!; 7/12/10, 2:06 PM
jimspice said...: I doubt the result would have been reversed if those votes were tossed, but even it was, we got Franken but you got Bush. It's like a rook for a king. I'd suggest we still deserve a 2 knights a rook and three pawns.; 7/12/10, 2:07 PM
bagoh20 said...: It must suck to be a Democrat lately. Even your victories are failures.; 7/12/10, 2:07 PM
sunsong said...: So, if true, are fraudulent elections really acceptable? Isn't there a way to correct it?; 7/12/10, 2:07 PM
AlphaLiberal said...: Al Franken loves America. He can draw a map of it it freehand!; 7/12/10, 2:08 PM
garage mahal said...: They just don't give a shit if elections are fraudulent, just so long as their fraud is the one elected.

First of all we don't even know how the suspected felons voted. That would seem to matter if you are claiming Franken won because 314 suspected felons voted for him, and none voted for Coleman. And if I were a felon, I would seriously consider the Coleman ticket. Second, we don't know if the people on the public records list match up internally with the county, as the link states. Only 3 people have been charged so far with voter fraud in Hennepin? This is your case?; 7/12/10, 2:11 PM
Ralph L said...: I remember reading in history books about various congressmen who were elected, then turfed
This happened to a lot of Southern Democrats right after The War.

Coleman should sue his lawyers for not finding this out when it mattered.; 7/12/10, 2:13 PM
john said...: AL - I got to admit, Franken's got some talent there. I was convinced by the time he finished Illinois.

I remember doing that in about second grade, but I mushed up all the eastern states (which are too small anyway to to be real states).

Now I can only draw the red states, because they're square, mostly ('cept Alaska).; 7/12/10, 2:18 PM
KCFleming said...: "First of all we don't even know how the suspected felons voted."

Felons vote the same way unions and gummint workers do.

Coincidence?; 7/12/10, 2:19 PM
garage mahal said...: Felons vote the same way unions and gummint workers do.

I'd be more inclined to accept that if I had some data to look at.; 7/12/10, 2:23 PM
KCFleming said...: My view, however, is that I don't care how they vote, but that they voted when they shouldn't.

It makes the election process bullshit, just like no-down-payment mortgages, 'global warming', 'health care reform', and Tiger Wood's pledge of fidelity.

Cripes, this ain't the Age of Aquarius, it's the goddamn Age of Fraud and Bullshit.; 7/12/10, 2:31 PM
chickelit said...: AlphaLibelar wrote: One of your most disgusting posts to date, Ann Althouse. Way to catapult the propaganda!

de gustibus non est disputandum!; 7/12/10, 2:32 PM
Quaestor said...: Psota wrote: "And don't forget Robert Byrd and Ted Kennedy who each died in office after lingering for a couple years."

A couple of years? That's being generous, I suppose. Teddy "Stunt Driver" Kennedy and Exalted Cyclops Byrd were morally and intellectually moribund decades before they assumed room temperature. They owed their long careers to lazy and servile voters in MA and WV. The sad thing about democracy is that free people can vote themselves into servitude.; 7/12/10, 2:33 PM
george said...: Since felons and Democratic politicians both do the same thing for their living... that is separating people from their money by force or fraud... I would say that nearly 100% of the felons would vote for the Dems... minus the amount that would be confused by the advanced technology that is a lever.

About the only difference I see in the two groups is that one uses their ill-gotten gains to by crack, the other buys votes. I find the former to be much less destructive to society.

BTW, these guys don't even bother to hide their intentions. Holder will not even make localities clean their voter lists of dead people and felons. There is only one rational reason why he would do such a thing... and we saw the result of it in MN.; 7/12/10, 2:34 PM
chickelit said...: Cripes, this ain't the Age of Aquarius, it's the goddamn Age of Fraud and Bullshit.

It's the Age of ACORNius!; 7/12/10, 2:34 PM
Calypso Facto said...: Nothing to see here. The Deputy Assistant Attorney General, Julie Fernandes, says so:

‘We're not interested in those kind of cases. What do they have to do with helping increase minority access and turnout? We want to increase access to the ballot, not limit it’

(Regarding purging the voter rolls of dead people, felons, illegal voters and those who have moved out of state, according to J. Christian Adams, a former career Justice Department lawyer who resigned recently to protest political interference in cases he worked on.); 7/12/10, 2:39 PM
Quaestor said...: garage mahal wrote: "That would seem to matter if you are claiming Franken won because 314 suspected felons voted for him, and none voted for Coleman."

Note garage's subtle attempt to nudge the argument over the truth/conjecture line. The felons in Ann's post are now only suspected felons.; 7/12/10, 2:40 PM
Ralph L said...: My favorite comment at JOM on Byrd's death:
"As the sheet is pulled over Robert Byrd's head for the very last time...."

If you move to another state, how does your old one purge you from their list of voters? Could someone else be using your ballot? How many interstate buses does ACORN hire on election day?; 7/12/10, 2:44 PM
Quaestor said...: victoria wrote: "Quite honestly the results are from a conservative think tank, an organization that would rather have the grim sleeper serial killer in office than a "liberal" like Franken."

and Vicky quite dishonestly attributes beliefs, attitudes and motives to people she don't know anything about; 7/12/10, 2:46 PM
A.W. said...: btw, here's how you figure out how felons vote. ask a simple question. which part is more in favor of letting felons vote? there's your answer. the dems wouldn't be so hot to get felons to vote, if they didn't think that would be their vote. its all part of a strategy. bring in illegal aliens to vote, let the felons and the deceased vote, let acorn defraud their way into the rest... and bam maybe you have less of an electorial disaster in november.; 7/12/10, 2:47 PM
holdfast said...: Blogger AJ Lynch said...

Ironic, sin't it, that an election stolen by Dems may have destroyed a Dem president's term.

Too bad that America's status as a superpower was collateral damage.; 7/12/10, 2:55 PM
MadisonMan said...: I'm having a hard time finding where the number 341 comes from in that article.

There are 52 conclusive matches in Ramsay Co, as explained by someone in the DA's office (Carruthers). The initial list of 460 names was dropped to 52. In contrast, the results from Hennepin Co -- 899 down to 289 -- no comment in the article on why the number dropped -- but 289+52 does equal 341. I'd like to see how the 899 dropped to 289; the percentage differences between initial and final are quite different between the two counties (~12% vs ~30%). And what would figures look like state-wide?

It's maddening (to me) when news articles raise more questions than they answer. Please tell me the complete story.; 7/12/10, 2:55 PM
former law student said...: Madman: The first attempt that was "just plain wrong and full of errors" had 899 names. Matching names, birth years, and communities knocked it down to 289 possibles in Hennepin County. God knows what they did in the first place to get 899 names. So the real true number of felon voters in Hennepin county is somewhere between 3 and 289.; 7/12/10, 3:14 PM
Alex said...: Even if the felon vote put Franken over the top, it still points to the Minnesota electorate being very divided 50/50. That's the larger story.; 7/12/10, 3:15 PM
garage mahal said...: MM
Oh well. Franken cheated. Off to the next thread!; 7/12/10, 3:15 PM
Alex said...: Oh get over it already!

Yeah just like Democrats still aren't over 2000.; 7/12/10, 3:16 PM
Alex said...: garage - admit you just got pwned!; 7/12/10, 3:16 PM
former law student said...: How do felons vote? You can never be sure. In my home state, though felon politicians skew Democratic, still there were George Ryan and Betty Loren-Maltese.

Consider that most felons are self-employed entrepreneurs. As such, their natural home is in the GOP.; 7/12/10, 3:17 PM
Methadras said...: Nothing to see here folks. Franken will stay were he is napping and doodling.; 7/12/10, 3:18 PM
victoria said...: Totally, Mike.If that's what it takes to silence the nay sayers. Investigate away. You righties won't like what the investigation has to say.

Vicki; 7/12/10, 3:21 PM
victoria said...: Bagoh, I am proud to be a Democrat, and a liberal. I am not a commie, socialist, a thief or any pejorative name you all want to call me. Losers are just trying to justify their position and their "outrage" at the way things are. Too bad.

Vicki; 7/12/10, 3:25 PM
cryptical said...: Maybe we need to be a little more careful about who we let vote. To contrast, I'm required to pass a background check to make sure I'm not a felon to exercise a fundamental individual right that's enumerated in the Bill of Rights. Lots of folks argue that it doesn't infringe on my right at all, so how could they complain about checking a voter for eligibility?; 7/12/10, 3:26 PM
victoria said...: Oh, quaestor, I was raised with Republicans and live among them like Diane Fossey lived with the apes. Interesting but backward, those Republicans.

Vicki; 7/12/10, 3:27 PM
MadisonMan said...: it still points to the Minnesota electorate being very divided 50/50.

It was more like 40/40 wasn't it? The 3rd party candidate -- don't recall if it was green, or libertarian -- pulled in about 10% of the vote.; 7/12/10, 3:28 PM
Anonymous said...: "Bagoh, I am proud to be a Democrat, and a liberal. I am not a commie, socialist, a thief or any pejorative name you all want to call me. Losers are just trying to justify their position and their "outrage" at the way things are. Too bad."

What about the rule of law? Does that mean anything to you?

Or are you so enamored with your liberality that you don't have time to bother with law?

I don't care who said it. I only want to know if it is true.; 7/12/10, 3:31 PM
Quaestor said...: This comment has been removed by the author.; 7/12/10, 3:31 PM
Quaestor said...: victoria wrote: "Bagoh, I am proud to be a Democrat, and a liberal. I am not a commie, socialist, a thief or any pejorative name you all want to call me."

But happy to throw pejoratives our way ab lib.; 7/12/10, 3:33 PM
Opus One Media said...: Wow, I was afraid someone was gonna want to see his birth certificate or something reasonable.

Tell you what, I'll talk to Franken about yet another recount if someone turns the way-back machine on and recounts florida.; 7/12/10, 3:35 PM
Original Mike said...: "Totally, Mike.If that's what it takes to silence the nay sayers. Investigate away. You righties won't like what the investigation has to say."

What I would hope the investigation finds is that the law was followed. What I would hope the investigation finds is that we do not have someone sitting in the Senate who does not have a right to be there.

What I have no hope of, however, is that the responsible officials will even look, for fear of what they might find.; 7/12/10, 3:35 PM
E Buzz said...: Al is very professorial.; 7/12/10, 3:37 PM
Franklin said...: "Tell you what, I'll talk to Franken about yet another recount if someone turns the way-back machine on and recounts florida."

They did. Bush still won every time.

:); 7/12/10, 3:39 PM
Scott M said...: HDHouse

Tell you what, I'll talk to Franken about yet another recount if someone turns the way-back machine on and recounts florida.

You're on as long as you include the total count of patents you've successfully been able to produce after making the claim that you have more than half a dozen of them.; 7/12/10, 3:45 PM
Quaestor said...: former law student wrote: "Consider that most felons are self-employed entrepreneurs. As such, their natural home is in the GOP."

As self-employed entrepreneurs they may have a philosophical confluence with the Republicans, but the Democrats usually provide a friendlier business environment for their kind of enterprise, thus following the guidance of the unseen hand they vote for the donkey rather than the pachyderm.; 7/12/10, 3:46 PM
Scott M said...: former law student wrote: "Consider that most felons are self-employed entrepreneurs. As such, their natural home is in the GOP.

Ah, but you're forgetting that only stupid criminals get caught, thus putting them squarely back in the DNC.; 7/12/10, 3:49 PM
Cedarford said...: "Alex said...
Even if the felon vote put Franken over the top, it still points to the Minnesota electorate being very divided 50/50. That's the larger story."

================
No, at the time the story was who the voters would pick - a clown like Franken or the guy with all the photos hugging Bush and the old fart who was running with the bimbo.

Obama won Minnesota by 54.2% to 44% for McCain. For some reason, idependent voters in Tristate were also unusually repelled by Palin. The whole Republican brand was fouled up - Bush bungled his wars and was oblivious to his "Doer Folk" on Wall Street setting up a global economic and financial meltdown - but the basic message of Republicans that they wanted more wars and less taxes on Wall Street sorts and would be more honest in the future didn't sell against "hopey changey".

That opened the way for the clown to get in the Senate.
Coleman, unfortunately - didn't distance himself enough from Bush or McCain.; 7/12/10, 4:03 PM
Ralph L said...: Felons set their own tax rates, they don't need the GOP.; 7/12/10, 4:08 PM
Opus One Media said...: @Pogo...you recall being ridiculed?

ohmygod...its like all the time..what's to forget?; 7/12/10, 4:23 PM
Anonymous said...: Wrong question. It's not in what proportion felons vote Democrat or Republican, but in what proportion did those who actually cast the felons' votes vote Dem or GOP?; 7/12/10, 4:33 PM
KCFleming said...: @HDHouse

The creativity of your insults is astounding, like hearing the Shaggs sing My Pal Foot Foot, or a colonoscopy without sedation.; 7/12/10, 4:44 PM
victoria said...: Listen, quaestor, plenty of pejoratives have been thrown around in this post.

I am interested in the truth, no matter what it is. I just want to see that an unbiased group is actually doing the investigation. Not some right wing, conservative group. They and the super left wing groups are no more interested in the truth than Mel Gibson is in being sober.

Vicki; 7/12/10, 4:47 PM
former law student said...: A useful law to enact to eliminate felon voters would be for the court to send the County Clerk's office a postcard indicating a felon's ineligibility to vote, as part of sentencing.; 7/12/10, 4:50 PM
Opus One Media said...: scottm...go f..ing look them up yourself. start in 1967 and do your own work.; 7/12/10, 4:56 PM
KCFleming said...: Bullshit, Vicki.

The ACORN-SEIU-Govt payroll-Teachers union Democrats have been pushing amnesty and motor voter and no ID voting for years because they want fraud to be easy.

You don't give a shit who did the study. You ignored this satement anyway:
'But the report got a far different review in Ramsey County, which contains St. Paul. Phil Carruthers of the Ramsey County attorney's office said his agency had taken the charges "very seriously" and found that the Minnesota Majority "had done a good job in their review."

Face it.
You're just another typical Democrat fascist.; 7/12/10, 4:59 PM
former law student said...: the Minnesota Majority "had done a good job in their review."

Although the wording is a bit ambiguous, as I read it, of the names that Minnesota Majority matched between the felon and voter list, Ramsey County was able to verify one in five so far, indicating a lot of false hits, even after MM reviewed their lists carefully.; 7/12/10, 5:15 PM
John henry said...: If I lived in one of the 50 states I probably would not even register. Voting is a joke in most places. Worse, most people seem to accept the corruption and laugh and make jokes about it.

There seems to be little or no control over who can register and even less over who can vote.

Come to Puerto Rico and we will show you how to run an honest election.

1) Paper ballots marked by the voter with a pencil

2) Secure voter ID card. No card, no vote. Well, no card, you do get to vote if your name is on the registry list but it is counted separately after your right to vote has been adjudicated.

3) Finger dipped in UV ink to prevent double voting.

4) To get a voter ID card must present proof of residency and US citizenship.

I've been voting in PR since the 1976 elections and can tell you that we have pretty close to zero allegations of voting fraud. Even fewer of them are proven.

We still get some of the crappiest politicians in the US but at least we get them honestly.

For those who think paper ballots take too long to count? We have preliminary totals 4-5 hours after the polls close. Except in the occasional tight race, these are almost always the same winners as are finally certified.

We typically have 70-80% turnout and 80-90% registration.

Many of the elections in the upper 50 are a joke and I would not waste my time in them.

John Henry; 7/12/10, 5:23 PM
Phil 314 said...: This was statistically a dead heat. someone would wing and someone would lose and undoubtedly there would be "problematic votes". As the authors stated:

"We aren't trying to change the result of the last election. That legally can't be done".

But i can imagine some interesting campaign slogans in 2014.

"Al Franken, preferred by ex-cons 2 to 1"; 7/12/10, 5:23 PM
John henry said...: Here is a chart of which states let felons vote and under what conditions.

Two let them vote from jail.

12 may bar them from ever voting, even if they have completed their sentence.

Most are somewhere in between.

Wisconsin forbids felons who are incarcerated, on parole or on probation from voting.

http://felonvoting.procon.org/view.resource.php?resourceID=286

John Henry; 7/12/10, 5:33 PM
Unknown said...: Franken is a product of George Soros' Secretaries of State Project, complete with an ACORN alum as SofS. do the math, as Ann once urged.

I just hope if Franken is nailed, Dr. Evil is forced to share the cell with Stuart Smalley.

garage mahal said...

Oh get over it already!

You people haven't gotten over the election of 1876 yet.

john said...

You can't puke up bullshit, AL.

Well, maybe you can.

It's called a bowel obstruction and I don't doubt Alpha is an expert.; 7/12/10, 6:25 PM
Methadras said...: HDHouse said...

recounts florida.

Are you still missing your dentures and confusing Preperation H for toothpaste, or is the brain plaque finally taking a firmer hold across your twisted convolutions, you doddering colostomy bag? Bush won by 537 votes using manbearpoodlepigs own chad/recount criteria. Let it die, fossil. Just like you should be doing right about now.; 7/12/10, 7:04 PM
Methadras said...: Pogo said...

Iraq has a more honest system.

Purple fingers can solve a lot of problems. Douche nozzles like HDHouse, et al. will only tell you where to put that finger.; 7/12/10, 7:06 PM
JAL said...: if someone turns the way-back machine on and recounts florida.

The NY Times did.

Or don't you want to recall the results?; 7/12/10, 7:09 PM
1775OGG said...: Don't worry, all you Socialist trolls out there, the NBP will take over poll watching everywhere except Nome, AK, and it won't be granted ballots. Voting will be properly secured now with thumb prints in place of signatures on all pre-printed paper ballots.

Our ACORN approved MN Secry State says the Franken vote was accurately certified prior to 11/2/2008.

No more cheers in AlFrankenLand.; 7/12/10, 7:14 PM
Opus One Media said...: @Methodras...you are a virtual fountain of writing talent. hats off to you young fella. yessir. folks can learn a lot from your fluidity with ol' pen and ink or whatever.

thank you very much. yessiree bob. ya'betcha!; 7/12/10, 8:49 PM
Opus One Media said...: Oh you boys are touchy touchy about florida...and why we ask? because the nytimes recount was only a partial recount as court ordered and not the whole state. there was enough junk in florida to make your little heads explode so don't lay that "he won get over it" crap on anyone. that dog don't hunt.

it was a mess and you know it was so stop with the hurt feeling posturing. you sound like little kids.

as to Franken,you jerks deprived Minnesota of a senator for a year while your boy there played the typical victim..always the hurt victim you gop-er's...poor little babies. you lost get over it...; 7/12/10, 8:59 PM
Opus One Media said...: and you are of course going to scream double standard here with my comments but that is just tough rocks. i'm right and your wrong. that is the double standard.; 7/12/10, 9:00 PM
former law student said...: The GOP did have a lot of stones to keep prolonging Coleman's doomed legal efforts, after all that Sore Loserman BS they pulled in 2000. Consistency, thy name is not the GOP.; 7/12/10, 9:20 PM
blake said...: [I seem to recall, after the 2000 Florida debacle, the pols promised to fix all these problems]

AJ--

Your problem is with the definition of the word "fix".; 7/12/10, 11:45 PM
shana said...: Vicki said...
I was raised with Republicans and live among them like Diane Fossey lived with the apes. Interesting but backward, those Republicans.

Nice.
You know, I grow tired of "progressives" saying the other side is uncivil. As the good Senator Al once said, they're lying liars who lie.; 7/13/10, 12:36 AM
Revenant said...: so don't lay that "he won get over it" crap on anyone. that dog don't hunt.

Well, you don't have to get over it. You can let bitterness and anger gnaw at you for the rest of your life, if you prefer.; 7/13/10, 1:43 AM
Revenant said...: Even if the felon vote put Franken over the top, it still points to the Minnesota electorate being very divided 50/50. That's the larger story.

The problem our system of voting is that it treats the final vote total like it was perfectly accurate. It never is. There is a margin of error created by human error, fraud, and happenstance. The problem is, we have no good way of knowing how large that margin is.

Realistically, the Bush/Gore Florida vote was a statistical tie. So was the Minnesota vote and a host of others before it.; 7/13/10, 1:51 AM
Unknown said...: Felon, Democrat...seems like a differance without a distinction.; 7/13/10, 7:37 AM
Unknown said...: The DFL casts their vote for them because we know felons are to busy to show up in person. The guys with the clubs standing outside by the front door keep Republican poll watchers away.; 7/13/10, 8:46 AM
john said...: Revenant:

Franken got 41.994%
Coleman got 41.983%
Barkley got 15.150%

The election was a statistical dead heat, but not 50/50. 58% of the voters voted against both Franken and Coleman.

Barkley could have been a beneficiary equally of disgusted Dems and Repubs. Most people however think that Barkley's votes came primarily at the expense of Coleman.

Wouldn't a runoff election have solved this problem without having to examine the voter rolls for felons and dead folks? Has MN mandated a runoff election yet?; 7/13/10, 10:38 AM
Fen said...: Vicki: I am proud to be a Democrat, and a liberal. I am not a commie, socialist, a thief or any pejorative name you all want to call me.... I was raised with Republicans and live among them like Diane Fossey lived with the apes. Interesting but backward, those Republicans.

The only reason Vivki is a Democrat is because the branding helps her compensate for her own defects of character.; 7/13/10, 11:57 AM
jim said...: WTF? FOX? Seriously? Why not cite pravda.ru while you're at it? Oh, wait, most conservatives now see nothing wrong with going to Russia's version of the Weekly World News, especially on issues like AGW or the global economy - given that actual facts still have that nasty liberal bias.

FOX has zero credibility. If they say the sky is blue, look up. Merely taking anything they have to say seriously kills your own credibility; academia avoids them like the plague for one simple reason: their track-record is a sick joke.

Citing FOX as a primary source for any political story is like citing SGT. ROCK comics for military history.

The presumption by commenters that felons are all pro-Democrat is the comic relief for a sad post - because goodness knows, Birchers & rednecks NEVER wind up becoming felons. Straight from the "minds" of FreeRepublic to your keyboards - thanks, guys!; 7/13/10, 1:46 PM
Fen said...: This comment has been removed by the author.; 7/13/10, 3:24 PM
Fen said...: LibtardJim: WTF? FOX? Seriously? Why not cite pravda.ru while you're at it?

Or the New York Times or the Washington Post. At least FOX makes no pretense that it leans right.

Oh, wait, most conservatives now see nothing wrong with going to Russia's version of the Weekly World News, especially on issues like AGW or the global economy - given that actual facts still have that nasty liberal bias.

Thats so cute, considering Lefty Rags like the NYTs and Wapo have distorted and lied about so many AGW "facts". Bets that you swallowed the "nothing to see here" swill about CRU?

academia avoids them like the plague

Academia does not avoid them like the plague. Academia avoids all opposing pov's that dont dovetail with their biased narrative.

Citing FOX as a primary source for any political story is like citing SGT. ROCK comics for military history.

Could your ignorance be any more ironic?

The presumption by commenters that felons are all pro-Democrat is the comic relief

Strawman. Of course, Libtards like yourself cant reason, so you must resort to fallacy. You're a product of public education, yes?

rednecks NEVER wind up becoming felons.

Sweet. You even managed to slide in a racial slur. How tolerant and enlightened of you, Libtard.; 7/13/10, 3:25 PM
I'm Full of Soup said...: Birchers?

Jim- are there even any of those people left today? I thought the last remnants of the John Birch society died off about 30-40 years ago.; 7/13/10, 4:53 PM
Anne M Ford said...: For years I wondered why I got so violently ill whenever I watched CNN, MSNBC and the Network News hour. My doctor diagnosed it as brain cell rot, and put me on a controlled diet of "factual" news. I am happy to say I am resting comfortably; recovering well and showing no signs of recontamination after watching Fox News.; 7/13/10, 7:54 PM
Robert Cook said...: A commenter here, whose name I won't restate to spare him/her great embarrassment, made this ludicrous comment:

"From an historical perspective, Franken's win gave the Dems a bullet proof Senate majority and that allowed Pres Obama to veer far left and enact Obamacare, the Spendulus, etc. His tack to the far left has effectively ruined his presidency [so far]."

Hahahahahaha! It's funny because it's (not) true!

At this late date in Obama's terrible tenure as the proxy head of Bush's third term and caretaker of his policies and legacy, for anyone to assert that Obama is "far left" or "left" or even vaguely progressive or that the "bullet proof" Democratic hegemony in Washington has been bulldozing through its radical agenda to make America a socialist paradise requires that the one making such assertions be completely disconnected from reality.

As for Franken, he's turning out to be, as far as I can see from the vantage point of not being a Minnesota resident, a serious and admirable Senator.; 7/14/10, 8:34 AM
Robert Cook said...: "Birchers?

"...are there even any of those people left today? I thought the last remnants of the John Birch society died off about 30-40 years ago."

They disbanded the John Birch Society when all its members became the mainstream of the Republican party and they started filling up Congress. Of course, many of its former members or spirtual heirs spend their free hours commenting on blogs.; 7/14/10, 8:40 AM
Anne M Ford said...: Accuse others of what you do." - Karl Marx

No more pointing fingers and blaming BUSH! This is his! He needs to own up to it. He is responsible for EVERYTHING since his inauguration. That is part of the job, if he doesn't like it he can give up the job.; 7/14/10, 10:42 AM
dick said...: Garage,

When the NYT and the other major media, almost all of whom favor the Dems, go back over the 2000 election and agree that Bush did win legitimately, then I think Scalia is right. In this case even the municipality involved agrees that the election was invalid for the reasons brought up. Totally different situation.; 7/15/10, 1:46 PM
dick said...: HD,

Hate to burst your bubble but the NYT and the rest of the liberal media already went through the Florida vote and agreed that Bush won legitimately.; 7/15/10, 1:54 PM