In case you’re bored with all the fake “election fraud” stories the wingnuts and the GOP are pushing this year, here’s a story about real election fraud: tricking Democrats into re-registering as Republicans by telling them they’re signing an initiative petition about child molesters. The LA Times called a sample of those whose re-registrations were produced by a GOP contractor called YPM; 80% say they didn’t intend to re-register. Some were signed up without their knowledge as absentee voters: that could cost them their votes if they try to vote on Election Day. And of course it helps foul up Democratic GOTV efforts.
Somehow I doubt Lou Dobbs or John McCain will be interested. And if the FBI investigates, word of it won’t leak until after the election.
Author: Mark Kleiman
Professor of Public Policy at the NYU Marron Institute for Urban Management and editor of the Journal of Drug Policy Analysis. Teaches about the methods of policy analysis about drug abuse control and crime control policy, working out the implications of two principles: that swift and certain sanctions don't have to be severe to be effective, and that well-designed threats usually don't have to be carried out.
Books:
Drugs and Drug Policy: What Everyone Needs to Know (with Jonathan Caulkins and Angela Hawken)
When Brute Force Fails: How to Have Less Crime and Less Punishment (Princeton, 2009; named one of the "books of the year" by The Economist
Against Excess: Drug Policy for Results (Basic, 1993)
Marijuana: Costs of Abuse, Costs of Control (Greenwood, 1989)
UCLA Homepage
Curriculum Vitae
Contact: Markarkleiman-at-gmail.com
View all posts by Mark Kleiman