Democrats send threatening letters to voters: We're watching to see if you vote
Democrats send threatening letters to voters in "vote-shaming" effort.
Darren McCollester/Getty Images
It seems that Democrats
in at least two states have adopted a rather unique way of getting out
the vote. On Thursday, Jonathan Coulton, a musician based in Brooklyn,
New York, posted a picture of a letter he received from local Democrats,
The Blaze said on Friday. The letter, Erica Ritz said, is similar to one sent by Democrats in North Carolina.
"Who you vote for is your secret," the letter said. "But whether or not you vote is public record." The letter goes on to say that "many" organizations are monitoring turnout in his neighborhood and, the letter adds, "are disappointed" by the inconsistent turnout of his neighbors.
But the letter doesn't end there. It goes on to tell Coulton they will be "reviewing" voter rolls to see if "you joined your neighbors who voted" in the midterm elections this Tuesday. "If you do not vote this year," the letter concludes, "we will be interested to hear why not."
"I think the Democrats just threatened me," Coulton said on Twitter. One person responded to Coulter: "We just got the same letter!"
"Wow dude, that's desperate, frightening, and a good reason to vote for someone else just to deny that tactic from working," another person said. Another Twitter respondent called it "creepy."
According to WRAL in North Carolina, voters in at least four counties received two versions of a letter characterized as "vote-shaming." One letter provides a "report card" of their voting history while the other version suggests the voter would be surveyed as to whether or not they cast a ballot in November's general election.
The letters say they were paid for by the North Carolina Democratic Party, and include Democratic Party logos. They are also signed by Patsy Keever, who is identified as the "election day coordinator." Keever, WRAL adds, is a former state representative and a current vice-chairman of the state Democratic Party.
One letter says that "public records will tell the community at-large whether you vote or not. As a service, our organization monitors turnout in your community, and it would be an understatement to say that we are disappointed by the inconsistent voting of many of your neighbors." The letter also says the Party intends to conduct a survey on the voting experience and includes a somewhat veiled threat: "If you do not vote this year, we will be interested to hear why not."
On Wednesday, conservative talk show host Rush Limbaugh attacked the letters, calling them another sign of desperation by Democrats. He also said the tactic would backfire.
"If you ask me, this kind of thing could backfire big time," he said. "The primary agent of fear employed is, 'They don't care whether you vote! They want to find out where you are. The Man wants to find out who you are. The Man wants to be able to track you,' right? That's what they tell people the voter ID is really for, and they scare them by that the voter ID is nothing more than The Man being able to track 'em."
"This is a common ploy used by the Reverend Jackson and Al Sharpton and any of these other civil rights activists who are opposed to voter ID, because without voter ID, they can cheat," he added. "With voter ID it's tougher and tougher to cheat. So they prey on the fears of African-Americans who have already been told to distrust the authorities. And the voter ID is just a trick."
Now, he said, Democratic Party officials are sending letters telling them they're being watched. "But once again," he said, "it's another sign of desperation on the Democrat Party side about the election and vote turnout and all of these things that are tied into it."
State Board of Elections officials said in 2012 the letters aren't illegal, WRAL added. This year, Mark Binker said, election officials did not comment on the letters.
"Who you vote for is your secret," the letter said. "But whether or not you vote is public record." The letter goes on to say that "many" organizations are monitoring turnout in his neighborhood and, the letter adds, "are disappointed" by the inconsistent turnout of his neighbors.
But the letter doesn't end there. It goes on to tell Coulton they will be "reviewing" voter rolls to see if "you joined your neighbors who voted" in the midterm elections this Tuesday. "If you do not vote this year," the letter concludes, "we will be interested to hear why not."
"I think the Democrats just threatened me," Coulton said on Twitter. One person responded to Coulter: "We just got the same letter!"
"Wow dude, that's desperate, frightening, and a good reason to vote for someone else just to deny that tactic from working," another person said. Another Twitter respondent called it "creepy."
According to WRAL in North Carolina, voters in at least four counties received two versions of a letter characterized as "vote-shaming." One letter provides a "report card" of their voting history while the other version suggests the voter would be surveyed as to whether or not they cast a ballot in November's general election.
The letters say they were paid for by the North Carolina Democratic Party, and include Democratic Party logos. They are also signed by Patsy Keever, who is identified as the "election day coordinator." Keever, WRAL adds, is a former state representative and a current vice-chairman of the state Democratic Party.
One letter says that "public records will tell the community at-large whether you vote or not. As a service, our organization monitors turnout in your community, and it would be an understatement to say that we are disappointed by the inconsistent voting of many of your neighbors." The letter also says the Party intends to conduct a survey on the voting experience and includes a somewhat veiled threat: "If you do not vote this year, we will be interested to hear why not."
On Wednesday, conservative talk show host Rush Limbaugh attacked the letters, calling them another sign of desperation by Democrats. He also said the tactic would backfire.
"If you ask me, this kind of thing could backfire big time," he said. "The primary agent of fear employed is, 'They don't care whether you vote! They want to find out where you are. The Man wants to find out who you are. The Man wants to be able to track you,' right? That's what they tell people the voter ID is really for, and they scare them by that the voter ID is nothing more than The Man being able to track 'em."
"This is a common ploy used by the Reverend Jackson and Al Sharpton and any of these other civil rights activists who are opposed to voter ID, because without voter ID, they can cheat," he added. "With voter ID it's tougher and tougher to cheat. So they prey on the fears of African-Americans who have already been told to distrust the authorities. And the voter ID is just a trick."
Now, he said, Democratic Party officials are sending letters telling them they're being watched. "But once again," he said, "it's another sign of desperation on the Democrat Party side about the election and vote turnout and all of these things that are tied into it."
State Board of Elections officials said in 2012 the letters aren't illegal, WRAL added. This year, Mark Binker said, election officials did not comment on the letters.
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