The WashTimes has an article today that says the Maryland Attorney General has told the MD Democratic Party that it would be illegal to pay workers to get workers to the polls today unless they “refrain from advocating a candidate or a party”. The Dems say they will proceed but will give their workers “strict instructions” not to campaign. Yeah. I’ll bet. I can hear it now: “No campaigning, guys, or we’ll have to double your pay.”
The article also contains the following, also to be expected:
Democrats have also accused the Republicans of soliciting paid Election Day workers by posting fliers at Bowie State University and sending e-mails to other college students. There have also been reports that Republicans are discouraging turnout by black Baltimore voters with fliers citing the wrong election date, Nov. 6, that also warn voters to take care of outstanding tickets and warrants before entering the polls.
Paul D. Ellington, executive director of the Maryland Republican Party, said the charges were baseless.
Shareese DeLeaver, campaign spokeswoman for Republican gubernatorial nominee Robert L. Ehrlich Jr., said staffers did not post the fliers, send the e-mail messages nor engage in other efforts to pay Election Day workers or suppress turnout.
Sounds like Dem dirty tricks to me. Follow the money and I’d bet you’d find that Dem operatives planted all this stuff so they’d have something to beat on the Republicans with.
Here’s another thing that points up the difference between Dems and Republicans:
The state’s tight gubernatorial race has both parties closely watching the election process today, with Republicans enlisting off-duty police officers to watch for irregularities at Baltimore polls and Democrats assembling a legal team to watch for voter-suppression activities.
Obviously, the Republicans are more interested in stopping illegal voting (“irregularities”) whereas the Democrats are more interested in letting anyone vote who shows up breathing (“watch[ing] for voter-suppression activities”).
Isn’t that interesting.