To register, she presented a green card, Social Security number and driver’s license — proof enough for the elections officials in Columbus County — then voted in 2008, 2010 and 2016.
But on Thursday, George, 70, faced charges of illegal voting from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, for which she might have spent six months in prison. Instead, U.S. District Court Judge Terrence Boyle chastised the elections board in Whiteville, letting George go with a $100 fine.
“So they see a green card and say, ‘That’s OK’ because they don’t know what they’re doing,” said Boyle, chief judge of the eastern district of North Carolina. “They ought to be a little smarter than that.”
Boyle added “maybe as much attention as is focused on illegal voting” could be placed on educating election workers.”
Only U.S. citizens can vote, and a green card grants permanent residency without citizenship.
The judge’s comments came as...
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I've put illegal voters in jail, but I can see the judge's point of view here. The woman registered to vote on the advice of an elected official. She presented documentation that proved she was NOT a U.S. citizen and therefore ineligible. The election officials, in their ignorance, accepted documented proof of ineligibility as the opposite. There was no intent to deceive on the woman's part; if the election officials had been competent, they would have told her, Sorry, come back when you've naturalized. She acted in good faith based on bad advice, and her illegal action was abetted by official incompetence.
ReplyDeletejudge should have put the election officials in jail for abetting a criminal act.
ReplyDelete