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I was all behind this until a) she only thinks its wrong when Republicans get more votes and b) when it was not localized to a particular area of Kansas but ins

I was all behind this until a) she only thinks its wrong when Republicans get more votes and b) when it was not localized to a particular area of Kansas but instead claimed it nationwide. as in, how can it be people cannot vote correctly... back to Florida we go

honestcoyote 12y ago
Despite 2014 being very good for Republicans in general, the Kansas governor was unpopular. Approval ratings well below 50%. The Kansas Secretary of State reacted by making some very suspicious moves, including throwing a substantially larger-than-normal number of voters off the rolls. This is a situation where there was possible corruption and members of both parties should be concerned. Any transparency and open records should be welcomed, no matter what the partisan leanings of the researcher requesting them.
topkai22 12y ago
I'm with you on the nationwide aspect- the apparent consistency of the pattern suggests something non-malicious to me. Coordinating a multi-state election fraud would be very hard and disastrous if found out. My SWAG at what might be happening- large precincts end up having long lines, dissuading marginal voters. As a result, dedicated voters, which according to my politics courses tend older and Republican, are disproportionately represented in the final tally.
- topkai22 12y ago
  That being said, it sounds like she should have gotten a review of the rolls when she asked after the election.
deleted 12y ago
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ubernostrum 12y ago
From the article: "The pattern could be voter fraud or a demographic trend that has not been picked up by extensive polling, she said." So it seems like there are multiple possible explanations being investigated for the apparent discrepancy, and the data will be helpful in figuring out which explanation or mix of explanations is correct. (though there is probably also some snark in that -- the current Kansas Secretary of State, a Republican, campaigned heavily on a platform of forcing voter ID and other requirements to combat alleged voter fraud, so painting him as being opposed to investigations when there's a discrepancy in favor of his party is a neat little jab)
mikeash 12y ago
I don't see anything that indicates she only thinks it's wrong when Republicans get the benefit. All I see is that it just so happens that the anomaly in question favors Republicans. Is there some similar effect that favors Democrats that's being ignored?

honestcoyote 12y ago

Despite 2014 being very good for Republicans in general, the Kansas governor was unpopular. Approval ratings well below 50%. The Kansas Secretary of State reacted by making some very suspicious moves, including throwing a substantially larger-than-normal number of voters off the rolls. This is a situation where there was possible corruption and members of both parties should be concerned. Any transparency and open records should be welcomed, no matter what the partisan leanings of the researcher requesting them.

topkai22 12y ago

I'm with you on the nationwide aspect- the apparent consistency of the pattern suggests something non-malicious to me. Coordinating a multi-state election fraud would be very hard and disastrous if found out. My SWAG at what might be happening- large precincts end up having long lines, dissuading marginal voters. As a result, dedicated voters, which according to my politics courses tend older and Republican, are disproportionately represented in the final tally.

topkai22 12y ago
That being said, it sounds like she should have gotten a review of the rolls when she asked after the election.

deleted 12y ago

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ubernostrum 12y ago

From the article: "The pattern could be voter fraud or a demographic trend that has not been picked up by extensive polling, she said." So it seems like there are multiple possible explanations being investigated for the apparent discrepancy, and the data will be helpful in figuring out which explanation or mix of explanations is correct. (though there is probably also some snark in that -- the current Kansas Secretary of State, a Republican, campaigned heavily on a platform of forcing voter ID and other requirements to combat alleged voter fraud, so painting him as being opposed to investigations when there's a discrepancy in favor of his party is a neat little jab)

mikeash 12y ago

I don't see anything that indicates she only thinks it's wrong when Republicans get the benefit. All I see is that it just so happens that the anomaly in question favors Republicans. Is there some similar effect that favors Democrats that's being ignored?