Since the 2000 election was settled by the Supreme Court, the election process itself has been under the microscope. Various methods have been revealed whose only purpose is to sway the election by any means. The ends seem to justify the means. A few of the means are recapped here:
- Swiftboating by 527's
- Fraudulent registration
- Get out the vote (GOTV) payoffs
- Late purges of the voter rolls
- Voter suppression by direct mail, robo callers and voting place challenges
- Long lines in targeted precincts
- Misinformation campaigns
- Miscounting by error or intention
- Computer errors and fraud
In 2008 the spectre of voting irregularities looms large. Politicization of the Justice Department since 2000 and changes to the makeup of the Supreme Court have resulted in an extraordinary number of dirty tricks. In May the Supreme Court ruled that states may require a picture ID be presented to verify identity. Many voters have no suitable ID if they do not drive or travel internationally. Efforts to verify their identities can cause delays or increase provisional voting. Electronic voting machines are still at risk of producing erroneous counts without possibility of audit. Long lines encountered throughout the primaries suggests local politicians are continuing to do their level best to influence outcomes.
Issues raised after investigation of the 2004 election in Ohio have not been addressed. Florida opted for a paper ballot after the 2006 Congressional election was marred by thousands of lost votes in the Sarasota area.
We may not see hanging chads or hacked machines in 2008, but you can be sure there will be something to get up about.