For 23 years, Carol Sheehan and her husband, Frank, have lived in the same Holladay neighborhood and their politics have remained about as constant as their address.
“My ballot is so stiff it doesn’t bend,” Carol Sheehan said. “It is very straight Democrat.”
But Thursday, her right to place that Democratic vote was challenged by a Republican candidate for the state House of Representatives – who also challenged the legal registration of 1,495 other residents in House District 37.
Republican candidate Brice Derek Carsno claims all of those residents do not live in the precincts they are registered in and therefore should not have the right to punch a ballot Tuesday.
State and county election officials, however, disagree and at least one says Carsno’s challenge could be criminal.
“There is no validity to his claims,” Salt Lake County Clerk Sherrie Swensen said Saturday. “It looks to me like what he has done is challenge everyone with another political affiliation than his own.”
He probably just wants to play like the big boys in the swing states. It’s an elegant solution – just challenge every damn Democrat and third-party voter in your district.
Various Republican officials, such as the state elections officer, have condemned the move as “over the top.” The Democratic county clerk may persue misdemeanor voter intimidation charges – possibly even federal charges, since it’s during a presidential election year.
The latter is probably over the top. If he were challenging all those horrible, fishy Demos on behalf of the national campaign, that would be one thing, but Utah will likely turn in the lowest numbers for Kerry, just as they returned the lowest numbers for Gore of any state in the 2000 election.
Perhaps this guy is running scared, as the incumbent he’s campaigning against is a Democrat, and a woman.
Go, District 37! I wonder if that’s my sister Timmy’s district. If so, I wonder if she’s on that list.
YES – we are in District 37. And what is so great is that we are “registered as Republicans” and this year we are voting Democrat!!! That will really fuck them up! It’s getting really nasty with Swallow (R) and Matheson (D).. look up some of the bull crap that Swallow has been slinging. The funny thing is, some of his campaign stuff has put Orin Hatch in the hot seat and they are both “R’s”. God, I can hardly wait until Tuesday!!! Too bad the bars will be closed!
YES – we are in District 37. And what is so great is that we are “registered as Republicans” and this year we are voting Democrat!!! That will really fuck them up! It’s getting really nasty with Swallow (R) and Matheson (D).. look up some of the bull crap that Swallow has been slinging. The funny thing is, some of his campaign stuff has put Orin Hatch in the hot seat and they are both “R’s”. God, I can hardly wait until Tuesday!!! Too bad the bars will be closed!
Thank God. What do some of your neighbors think of the District 37 deal? I asked Mom how she’s getting to the polling place, which is apparently my old high school. She said a neighbor was driving them over.
Please think about giving someone you know a ride to the polls. In fact, I should call some of my dear little English church ladies and ask them if they need a ride.
They are all Republicans!!!!!!!!! Does that answer your question. It’s been all over the TV news and the local party president sent out a statement that it was a very wrong doing and the party didn’t approve……….. My vote for Kerry won’t count in Utah because of the electorate votes – they will all go to Bush. It’s going to be interesting!!!