As I've mentioned before, I'm a lifelong resident of the Kentucky part of Pennsylvania. Specifically, I was born and raised in Indiana County, and now attend college here at the Indiana University of Pennsylvania.
Despite the obnoxious religiousity and conservatism one sees everywhere, it doesn't bother me much. For one thing I've grown used to it and for the other, I accept it as a tradeoff required for the calmness of small town life, especially when it comes to politics. I'm entirely tucked away from all the worst parts of the process.
That is, until the other day...
I don't think anyone here's quite sure what happened yet or who's responsible. Quoting from the university's press release on the matter...
Students who recently signed a petition circulated on campus to legalize the use of medicinal marijuana may have inadvertently also signed a Pennsylvania voter registration application to change their political party affiliation.
For some reason, the school doesn't mention that by "change party affiliation" they mean "become a registered Republican."
That, by itself, would be obnoxious enough...but it gets worse...
However, students signing these forms may have inadvertently changed their voting venue to Indiana County rather than their home county
That's right...not only did this bogus "petition" make them registered Republicans, it also changes their voting place to here. Of course, the students who signed the petition were informed of none of this, and whatever group was doing it seems to have vanished. They may even have enlisted student help. I'm still trying to find out those details. I'm not sure yet how it was discovered this had happened.
Had this not been discovered however, several hundred citizens would have tried to vote either by going home or by absentee...and would not have been able to.
In any event, I thought here I would be safe from the long arms of Republican thuggery.
But I suppose I was naive. Another motivating factor to win this election...if they take it, no one will be spared.
On the bright side, perhaps this is a sign of desperation. Whatever it is, just add it to the long, sad litany of GOP voter suppression efforts.