Democrats allege voter purge
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The Louisiana Democratic Party questioned Tuesday if its members were being purged in the days prior to the Nov. 4 presidential election.
Party attorney Randy Piedrahita told a state House and Governmental Affairs committee that far more Democrats have been targeted for removal from the voting rolls than Republicans or other party registrants.
Some 18,000 people were removed from the voter rolls recently because of challenges by parish registrars of voters — a disproportionate number of them Democrats, Piedrahita told the state legislators.
“Why are the numbers so high? Why is it hitting Democrats so high?” Piedrahita asked.
Piedrahita said the impact will show up when people go to the polls Tuesday and discover they won’t be allowed to vote.
Secretary of State Jay Dardenne denied any systematic voter purge was going on.
Dardenne said some parish registrars of voters are using their authority to “challenge” some voter registrations by sending out notices and giving people the opportunity to come forward to straighten out any problems.
“It’s individual registrars, not a state program,” said Dardenne, a member of the Republican Party.
Piedrahita asked whether registrars were challenging voters based on “information or party registration.”
Dardenne said he did not have any information other than statistical data received from registrars.
The number of registrar voter challenges has jumped in recent years, according to secretary of state data.
In 2008, there have been 18,175 removals as a result of challenges and in 2007, there were 16,927. But in the year prior to that, there were 3,681 and in 2003 there were only 1,079, Dardenne said.
Party attorney Randy Piedrahita told a state House and Governmental Affairs committee that far more Democrats have been targeted for removal from the voting rolls than Republicans or other party registrants.
Some 18,000 people were removed from the voter rolls recently because of challenges by parish registrars of voters — a disproportionate number of them Democrats, Piedrahita told the state legislators.
“Why are the numbers so high? Why is it hitting Democrats so high?” Piedrahita asked.
Piedrahita said the impact will show up when people go to the polls Tuesday and discover they won’t be allowed to vote.
Secretary of State Jay Dardenne denied any systematic voter purge was going on.
Dardenne said some parish registrars of voters are using their authority to “challenge” some voter registrations by sending out notices and giving people the opportunity to come forward to straighten out any problems.
“It’s individual registrars, not a state program,” said Dardenne, a member of the Republican Party.
Piedrahita asked whether registrars were challenging voters based on “information or party registration.”
Dardenne said he did not have any information other than statistical data received from registrars.
The number of registrar voter challenges has jumped in recent years, according to secretary of state data.
In 2008, there have been 18,175 removals as a result of challenges and in 2007, there were 16,927. But in the year prior to that, there were 3,681 and in 2003 there were only 1,079, Dardenne said.
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