More Election Problems Surface; Real Versus Imagined Voter Intimidation

In addition to the problems I've been reporting in Pennsylvania, there were problems here in New York City. Apparently Tim Robbins ran into what is a pretty common problem. His name didn't appear on the voter roll at his proper polling place. He went down to the Board of Elections at 200 Varick Street, where they indeed showed him as properly registered to vote at that location and had a judge clear him to vote.

40 other people at his polling place had similar problems, but not Robbins partner, Susan Sarandon. She didn't have any problems.

Before you think that this is some kind of voter intimidation or suppression of votes, keep in mind that these are Democrat districts and precincts. They would want to maximize the number of votes cast, not minimize them. Robbins would like to believe that this is intimidation, but it's actually worse than that.

What Robbins' situation showcases is that the election system in the country is broken and no one has taken this problem seriously, even after the 2000 debacle in Florida and the problems in Ohio and Pennsylvania in 2004.

Philly.com headlines and claims that GOPers are engaging in voter intimidation outside polling places in Pennsylvania. The outlet ignores the real intimidation of Black Panthers wielding clubs outside polling places. Philly.com calls the Black Panthers guarding the polling place.

This is the video of those thugs outside the polling place.



I'd say that is more intimidating that what the Democrats claim is intimidation by asking for party affiliation or identification information.

UPDATE:
More voter fraud: The Jawa Report notes that an idiot in Philadelphia admits going and voting multiple times. Thanks for admitting that you've committed multiple felonies. For every person dumb enough to admit this, how many more are getting away with the unconscionable act of stuffing the ballot box?

UPDATE:
Scattered problems in New Jersey, particularly with electronic ballot machines and incompetent workers who didn't know how to operate them. Some were inadvertently turned off, and some malfunctioned.

You don't have that problem with paper ballots.

Meanwhile, a judge refused to extend polling hours in New Jersey. Oh, and for those wondering about requiring to show ID to vote in NJ, you're in luck.

You don't need to:

According to Casciano, representatives of Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama petitioned Essex County Assignment Judge Patricia Costello Tuesday morning to extend polling hours because some machines had been down for 45 minutes to two hours.

Costello rejected the request, Casciano said, on the grounds that there was still plenty of time for people to vote and that voters had been given emergency ballots when the machines were unavailable.

The American Civil Liberties Union of New Jersey reported that some voters in Hudson, Camden, Essex, Mercer, Middlesex and Monmouth counties were improperly asked to provide identification in order to vote.

ACLU New Jersey director Deborah Jacobs said voters should only be asked for ID if they are voting for the first time at a polling place and did not provide it when they registered.

UPDATE:
Instapundit points out that there are additional problems in South Jersey and Philadelphia and the New Hampshire GOP has filed suit over access at the polls "...claiming that Republican election officials are purposefully being kept away from new registration tables. Both Republicans and Democrats appoint election officials to ensure that neither party tries to tamper with votes or registration."