Publisher Perspective: Warning, Non-Citizens who vote  could go to jail along with those who assist them

I was sitting in my office just west of Dixie Highway a number of years ago, when a middle aged lady, who worked for the Broward County Welfare Office as a bus driver, came to see me. Their office was located in a building we had just bought for the Observer. She immediately apologized for the interruption, but said “I’ve just got to tell someone what is happening.” She went on to explain that she drove a bus for the county, and her bosses were having her drive the bus around for them to find people to register to vote.

What was bothering her was that it appeared her “bosses” were intentionally registering non-US citizens to vote. She said they would pull the bus up to areas where foreign workers were apparently known to congregate, and where “runners” had already gone out ahead to gather them up. The “runners” were being paid by the number of people they brought to the bus. She noted that most of the people being brought to the bus did not speak English. Once on the bus her “boss” would tell them loudly in English: “Raise your hand if you are a U.S. citizen.” Most of them, according to her, would just look confused. So her “boss” would hold up a box, as though she was going to give them something of value, and repeat the question, simultaneously raising her own hand in a motion for them to mimic. Those who raised their hands were immediately given a voter registration card application to fill out with the help of the “runners” and the “bosses.” My informant then begged me not to confront her bosses about this as she would certainly be fired.

So, the next day I drove down to the Supervisor of Elections office in Ft. Lauderdale to find out what could be done about this. I talked to Easter Lily Gates, who at the time was  Supervisor of Elections and an old friend of my father’s. A kind, matronly looking lady with a hat on, she explained to me that it was against the law for them, the supervisor or her staff, to even ask someone for proof that they were a U.S. citizen. Anyone who applied for a voter’s registration card was automatically given one with no proof of citizenship required.

Flabbergasted, I personally spent years trying to get the system changed to make sure only citizens could register and vote. It was finally changed a few years ago here in Florida, but only after it was discovered that eight of the 19 September 11 hijackers were registered to vote in either Virginia or Florida. It was determined that the registrations were obtained when they applied for driver’s licenses. So now if someone who is not a U.S. citizen registers and votes, it is a felony crime. Do your part to make sure our elections are fair. If you know of someone who is not a U.S. citizen, yet has registered to vote, contact the Supervisor of Elections office and let them know.

David Eller,

08-21-08