Voters Turned Away As Citizenship Box Creates Confusion At The Polls

Voters Turned Away As Citizenship Box Creates Confusion At The Polls

Michigan’s primary election.

Voters are confused.

Apparently there is a new citizenship "Box" on the ballot application.

But many clerks at some precincts didn't know that not filling in the box does not nullify the vote !!!!!


CBS Detroit -- August 7, 2012 3:58 PM

LANSING (WWJ) – Some voters have reportedly been turned away from the polls on Michigan’s primary election day for refusing to fill out the new “citizenship” box on their ballot application.

Jocelyn Bensen, Director of the Michigan Center for Election Law, said they’ve been taking calls from confused voters across the state regarding this issue. She’s criticizing the Secretary of State’s office for failing to remind clerks that voters who decline to fill out the citizenship box must still be allowed to cast a ballot.

“It has been the number one issue that we received calls on this morning,” Bensen told WWJ Newsradio 950. “And that’s why we contacted the Secretary of State’s office’s again today, urging the office to issue a clarifying statement, which they finally did at around noon.”...........

I wonder what the "voters" didn't "Understand" ?

And some more problems as well.....

CBS

DETROIT (WWJ) - Some Detroit voters were very frustrated while trying to cast their ballots Tuesday morning on the city’s west side.

WWJ’s Vickie Thomas said voting started about an hour and a half late at Henry Ford High School, on Evergreen Road just south of 8 Mile, after elections workers could not get inside the building. The person who was supposed to open the school reportedly didn’t wake up in time to open the doors when polls opened at 7 a.m.

WHAT ????

Not only did the polls open late, some voters were patted down as they entered the west side high school.

Detroit NAACP Executive Director Darnell Wright went to the school after getting a call on their voter hotline.

“There was indeed an individual who was frisking individuals and winding down for weapons, as well as an individual dressed in military fatigues, both of which we believe is a form of voter intimidation,” said Wright.

Polling Problems: Doors Closed, Voters Frisked In Detroit

Pretty bad when you don't know what to put in a box that asks whether or not your a citizen of where your voting.

I can say without a doubt that I am a citizen of the USA and a citizen of Arizona. What's so hard about that?

Can any Michigan members here clarify something....

Can non-citizens vote in the Michigan primary election ?

Laws vary from State to State.

I think only citizens can vote in Presidential elections.

Does a primary election count as a "Presidential election" ?

Originally posted by mwood
Pretty bad when you don't know what to put in a box that asks whether or not your a citizen of where your voting.

I can say without a doubt that I am a citizen of the USA and a citizen of Arizona. What's so hard about that?

I know i don't want anyone voting who cant figure it out lol. If your not a legal citizen then you have not paid your dues and should not have the right to vote for anything in this once great land let alone be allowed to be here for any reason. Illegals are a drain on us taxpayers!!!

DON'T PEOPLE READ THEIR VOTER PHAMPLETS???????????????????????????? This is exactly why the uninformed should NOT vote, AND why we have DELEGATES. Because idiots are making decisions. I hate idiocy, senility, dumbness, whatever you want to call it. Did they not know about this??? Prove it!

If answering Are you a Citizen of the USA confuses you, i dont want you voting anyway because that kind of stupidity got us into this mess in the first place.

Originally posted by Gridrebel
DON'T PEOPLE READ THEIR VOTER PHAMPLETS???????????????????????????? This is exactly why the uninformed should NOT vote, AND why we have DELEGATES.

There were no instructions regarding the "citizenship" question in the voter pamphlet...thus the "confusion" by not just voters, but also poll workers who are supposed to be the authorities on how to fill out the ballot and refused (despite being legally obligated to) to count ballots by those that skipped that question....

Many states ballots are long and complicated and do not require you to fill out every question for your vote to count.

Call the voters stupid...but the poll workers were supposedly just as ignorant as to the legitmacy of the question.

The bill requiring this question was vetoed and never passed. Why was it on the ballot? Citizens where already required to affirm thier citizenship before registering to vote and recieving thier voter registration cards.

The "Citizenship" question, had no legal standing to be on the ballot since the bill was vetoed and voters already had to confirm thier citizenship to register to vote.

The Poll workers were "confused" and illegally invalidated ballots where voters skipped the question.

What advantage does this illegal ploy offer?

A Poll worker with allegiance to a candidate or party suddenly has the power to toss certain votes that are not to his liking. Sit at the desk...when a vote for candidate X comes in...did they answer the citizenship question? If not...toss that vote.

Left/Right...GOP...Dem...no one should tolerate this kind of illegal BS in our elections.

Originally posted by Indigo5

Originally posted by Gridrebel
DON'T PEOPLE READ THEIR VOTER PHAMPLETS???????????????????????????? This is exactly why the uninformed should NOT vote, AND why we have DELEGATES.

There were no instructions regarding the "citizenship" question in the voter pamphlet...thus the "confusion" by not just voters, but also poll workers who are supposed to be the authorities on how to fill out the ballotrefused to count ballots by those that refused to check the box or skipped it....despite being legally obligated to.

Many states ballots are long and complicated and do not require you to fill out every question for your vote to count.

Call the voters stupid...but the poll workers were supposedly just as ignorant as to the legitmacy of the question.

The bill requiring this question was vetoed and never passed. Why was it on the ballot? Citizens where already required to affirm thier citizenship before registering to vote and recieving thier voter registration cards.

The "Citizenship" question, had no legal standing to be on the ballot since the bill was vetoed and voters already had to confirm thier citizenship to register to vote.

The Poll workers were "confused" and illegally invalidated ballots where voters skipped the question.

What advantage does this illegal ploy offer?

A Poll worker with allegiance to a candidate or party suddenly has the power to toss certain votes that are not to his liking. Sit at the desk...when a vote for candidate X comes in...did they answer the citizenship question? If not...toss that vote.

Left/Right...GOP...Dem...no one should tolerate this kind of illegal BS in our elections.

edit on 8-8-2012 by Indigo5 because: (no reason given)

edit on 8-8-2012 by Indigo5 because: (no reason given)

Thank you for your follow through. Sooooo, who got it on the ballot??? I bet it was a voted for person! Like I always say, from dog catcher to president, your vote matters.