Welcome to DU! The truly grassroots left-of-center political community where regular people, not algorithms, drive the discussions and set the standards. Join the community: Create a free account Support DU (and get rid of ads!): Become a Star Member Latest Breaking News Editorials & Other Articles General Discussion The DU Lounge All Forums Issue Forums Culture Forums Alliance Forums Region Forums Support Forums Help & Search

2016 Postmortem

Showing Original Post only (View all)
 

laserhaas

(7,805 posts)
Sun May 22, 2016, 10:26 AM May 2016

Cali Lawsuit Filed Against Sec of State on Deceptive Primary Ballots [View all]

Joining Civil Rights attorneys Bill Simpich and Stephen R. Jaffe, is the entity known as Election Justice. They filed a lawsuit against the California Sec. of State and Registrars ( link to website HERE and link to actual lawsuit - {HERE}) over allegations that the California Elections Code Section 3006(c) - that mandates all votes have the right to apply for a Presidential party ballator, are being deceived.

Whereas fake and false ballots, with bogus dates or otherwise, are sent out as "official" (btw - ???? - Mail Fraud).

Here's a nice video, from the "video.com" website, explaining what's going on.
[br]
[center]


[/center]
[br][hr][br]

[center][font size=6] PRESS RELEASE [/font][/center]

[center] [font size=4 color=navy]ELECTION JUSTICE NEWS RELEASE

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE [/font][/center]
[br]
Contact:
Shyla Nelson
202.725.8459 / 802.280.1770
sanelson@icloud.com

[br]
Press Conference: Friday, May 20, noon (outside) San Francisco Federal Building, 450 Golden Gate Avenue
[br]
[center]CALIFORNIA LAWSUIT FILED OVER ELECTION LAW VIOLATIONS[/center]
[br]
SAN FRANCISCO, May 20, 2016: Civil rights attorneys and voter rights activists are filing a
civil lawsuit in Federal Court over election materials sent out in advance of the California
Primary. Critical omissions of instructions from county applications to vote by mail have
violated state election laws, according to the plaintiffs.

[br]
Civil rights attorneys Bill Simpich and Stephen R. Jaffe have filed the suit on behalf of both leftleaning
supporters of Bernie Sanders and the right-leaning American Independent Party.
“These omissions will likely discourage thousands of California voters,” says Simpich.
“Independent voters who have stated ‘No Party Preference’ (NPP) may not be able to vote in
the June 7th Primary because of the confusion over how to obtain a party-based Presidential
primary ballots. Those ballots are not automatically mailed with their nonpartisan ballot. They
must be requested by the voters. That has not been made clear in the instructions sent.”

[br]
Collaborating on the lawsuit is Election Justice, a national election integrity and voting rights
organization which made international news with their recent suit over the voter roll purges
prior to the New York Primary. “We are proud to support this effort in California as it represents
a real chance for voters to become educated and empowered to exercise their rights,” Election
Justice spokeswoman Shyla Nelson said. “We are seeing an unprecedented level of civic
engagement in this year’s election, and with that, the exposure of many flaws in our electoral
system. Election Justice is committed to fixing what’s broken and renewing the spirit of true
democracy in the selection of our nation’s leaders.”

[br]
Allegations in the lawsuit include the violation of Elections Code Section 3006(c) which
mandates that all NPP voters have the right to apply for a Presidential party ballot for the
Democratic, American Independent Party, or Libertarian parties.

[br]
Also alleged is the violation of Elections Code Section 3006(b)(3) which requires that voters be
informed of the right to personally deliver their application for a vote-by-mail ballot directly to
the county elections office by May 31 - not merely mail it. “These instructions are also missing
from some of the applications to vote by mail,” says Simpich. “The polls have been open since
May 9. Voters have the right to come to the polling place up to the final day of elections on
June 7 and ask for the ballot of their choice. We intend to make sure they know that this is their
right.”

[br]
Further, defendants Tim Depuis and John Arntz, chiefs of the Alameda County Registrar of
Voters and the San Francisco Department of Elections, distributed to voters an electronic
application to vote by mail that does not contain the mandatory notice, as seen on Depuis’
Oakland website and Artnz’s San Francisco website.

[br]
In San Francisco and other counties, election officials mailed the proper version with the
mandatory notice to independent voters, but an improper version to party-affiliated voters,
which implicitly discourages party voters from re-registering as independents. “Registration/
party affiliation changes are still possible until May 23. We are seeking an extension of the
registration period due to these errors,” Simpich said.

[br]
Voter suppression has become a central issue in this year’s hotly contested Presidential
primary season, as increased numbers of voters take to the polls and public visibility, largely
through social media, has brought a new level of transparency to public concerns. Blaire
Fellows, New York attorney and coordinator of Election Justice’s national legal team, says the
new level of public engagement on this issue is a welcome catalyst. “We have seen people get
involved in petitioning, protesting their county Boards of Election, and publicly call elected
officials to accountability. It is time this important issue get the attention it deserves,” said
Fellows.

[br]
Simpich and Jaffee bring the lawsuit to protect the voting rights of millions of California voters.
Nearly 70% of ballots cast in the 2014 California special election were by-mail, and over 65%
of the ballots cast in the 2012 presidential preference primary were by-mail. (Source: http://
www.sos.ca.gov/elections/historical-absentee/) “Because these problems are happening
throughout the state of California, we are seeking statewide relief,” said Simpich.

[br]

For further information contact:
Bill Simpich - (415) 542-6809 email: bsimpich@gmail.com
Stephen R. Jaffe - (415) 618-0100 email: stephen.r.jaffe@jaffetriallaw.com
Shyla Nelson, Election Justice - (202) 725-8459 email: sanelson@icloud.com
[br]
Election Justice is a national organization advancing election integrity, transparency, and protection of voting rights for all Americans.

[br][hr] link to the Press Release - (HERE) [br]
[center][font size=4 color=burnt]
Lawuit seeks Court Orders for:
[/font][/center]

The plaintiffs in the lawsuit seek the following…
  1. A "declaratory judgment" essentially saying that the defendants violated the law regarding their obligation to provide voting rights notices required by statute.
  2. Wide distribution of this information via radio, TV, newspaper, internet social media platforms in Alameda County and throughout the state of California;
  3. Ensuring that sufficient ballot forms for all of the Presidential primary candidates are at all of the polling places on June 7;
  4. That no party preference voters are not refused a Presidential primary ballot if they personally appear at their proper polling place;
  5. Changing the applications at the Board of Elections websites in Alameda County, San Francisco, and throughout the state of California to conform with the essential terms set forth in the uniform application created by the Secretary of State;
  6. An order permitting the write-in of the Democratic, American Independent Party, and Libertarian candidates, or, in the alternative, segregation of the ballots that have already been cast by those with no party preference registration in order to permit voters to re-vote for the candidate of their choice by June 7;
  7. An order extending the registration deadline to June 7, in order to ensure that no party preference voters are properly informed of the option to either re-register with a party or request a Democratic, American Independent Party or Libertarian Party Presidential primary ballot;
  8. An order, as well, stating that party voters must be properly informed of the option to re-register as no party preference and request a Democratic, American Independent Party or Libertarian Party Presidential primary ballot if that is their preference;
  9. An order that provisional ballots will not be issued to voters unless there is no other alternative.

[br]

[center] [font size=4]
What the Proper Form Should Look Like


[br]

KNOW YOUR RIGHTS
- Do NOT be Rigged Out of Your Right to Vote

Bernie Needs California
to Assure Chance to Beat Hillary[/font][/center]


[br]
[center][font size=4 color=navy] Even Cali Poll Workers Are Being MisInformed
[/font][/center]

[br][hr][br]

13 votes, 0 passes | Time left: Unlimited
Dem Primary has been rigged, from the outset
12 (92%)
There were some mistakes made, but not intentional
1 (8%)
No mistakes made, whole process has been pure - totally
0 (0%)
Show usernames
Disclaimer: This is an Internet poll
8 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
Highlight: NoneDon't highlight anything 5 newestHighlight 5 most recent replies
Latest Discussions»Retired Forums»2016 Postmortem»Cali Lawsuit Filed Agains...»Reply #0