The main event in Wisconsin, when six Republican state senators face recall general elections, takes place on August 9. However, Koch-backed Americans for Prosperity is sending Democrats in some of those districts absentee ballots with instructions to return them by August 11.
Politico has the story of blatant vote suppression:
Americans for Prosperity is sending absentee ballots to Democrats in at least two Wisconsin state Senate recall districts with instructions to return the paperwork after the election date.
The fliers, obtained by POLITICO, ask solidly Democratic voters to return ballots for the Aug. 9 election to the city clerk "before Aug. 11."
A Democrat on the ground in Wisconsin said the fliers were discovered to be hitting doors in District 2 and District 10 over the weekend.
"These are people who are our 1's in the voterfile who we already knew. They ain't AFP members, that's for damn sure," the source said.
A "1" in a voterfile is someone who a campaign considers a lock to vote for their side. So, Americans for Prosperity is intentionally giving hardcore Democratic voters bad election information in an attempt to trick them into not voting.
Disgusting, to say the least. Sign up at the Democratic Party of Wisconsin's website to make phone calls to get voters accurate election information. You have to create an account to take part, but you can volunteer no matter where you live.
Update: A couple of the voters who received the mailings have filed complaints against Americans for Prosperity to the Government Accountability Board. From a We Are Wisconsin press release over email:
Today, voters in Senate Districts 2 and 10 who received the mailers filed complaints with the Wisconsin Government Accountability Board, alleging serious violations of Wisconsin election law. The mailing asks solidly-Democratic voters to return the absentee ballots for the August 9 recall election “before Aug. 11” – the appropriate return date for an August 16th election.
Charles E. Shultz of Hudson is a self-described card-carrying Democrat who received the flyer appealing to him as “a member of Americans for Prosperity who lives in a district where one of the eight senate recall elections are taking place.” As Shultz alleged in his complaint:
“I believe I was targeted by this Republican group because I am a Democrat and a senior citizen.”
Don't forget to sign up at the Democratic Party of Wisconsin's website to help get out the vote.
