I just don't know what to say about this. 40% of new voters signed up by ACORN in Harris County have been rejected by the Republican controlled Elections office. ACORN submitted 35,000 new voters and 14,000 of those were rejected. Many of you know that Houston, TX is the county seat of Harris and this is a HUGE number considering how close county wide elections were in 2006. Lord only knows how many total new registrants were rejected from other organizations. Not to mention this is occuring all over the United States.
Mr. Bettencourt claims:
About half of the 14,000 ACORN applications that were rejected in Harris County were missing required information such as the potential voter's address, date of birth and Texas driver's license number, said Paul Bettencourt, the county's voter registrar and tax assessor-collector. Another 3,800 applicants already were registered to vote.
http://www.chron.com/...
This is Pure BULL-CRAP! Voter applicants CAN NOT be rejected for not having a state ID or drivers license if you provide your social security number!
the following identification information:
(a) the applicant’s Texas driver’s license number or the number of a
personal identification card issued by the Department of Public Safety;
(b) if the applicant has not been issued a number described in
paragraph (a), the last four digits of the applicant’s social security number;
http://www.naacpldf.org/...
Mr. Bettencourt goes on to say that they don't keep track of why applications were incomplete and it's not their job to do so. These new applicants can't re register now that the deadline has passed. In my opinion this is a widespread attempt by republicans to disenfranchise voters. ACORN is the target and this is taking place ALL over the nation.
In Harris County, Republicans are very close to losing their grip on local offices. Take a look at the election results for Harris County in 2006, Democrats came really close to defeating Republicans in many races.
Justice, 14th Court of Appeals District, Place 6
REP 286,575 51.98%
DEM 264,679 48.01%
District Judge, 80th Judicial District (Unexpired)
REP 289,038 52.31%
DEM 263,507 47.68%
District Judge, 183rd Judicial District
REP 284,405 51.66%
DEM 266,081 48.33%
District Judge, 185th Judicial District
REP 292,534 53.09%
DEM 258,422 46.90%
District Judge, 189th Judicial District
REP 284,511 51.56%
DEM 267,265 48.43%
District Judge, 232nd Judicial District
REP 289,249 52.76%
DEM 258,927 47.23%
District Judge, 245th Judicial District
REP 278,586 50.61%
DEM 271,805 49.38%
District Judge, 248th Judicial District
REP 286,494 52.27%
DEM 261,511 47.72%
Family District Judge, 315th Judicial District
REP 280,850 51.35%
DEM 266,040 48.64%
http://elections.sos.state.tx.us/...
In 2006 we also saw Tom Delay's heavily republican district fall into the hands of Democrat Nick Lampson. What's at stake this year in Harris County? Multiple U.S. House Seats, a U.S. Senate Seat, County Judgeships, District Attorney, County Attorney, County Clerk, County Tax Assessor who is in charge of voters registration. Again, this is a Prime Example of why the Republicans are targeting ACORN... They are DISENFRANCHISING PEOPLE!!!