Since November 2008 there has been a marked increase in the number of Vassar students choosing to vote in Poughkeepsie instead of their home districts. According to Board of Elections (BOE) official Ira Margulies, about 400 Vassar students are registered to vote in local elections.
However, students who have gone to vote at Arthur S. May Elementary School today have had their eligibility to vote challenged. The challenges have come on the grounds that their current addresses do not match up with the addresses under which they are registered in the voter rolls.
As of 5pm on Tuesday an injunction was filed against Vassar students wishing to vote at Arthur S. May Elementary School. This means that students whose votes are successfully challenged by the Board of Elections will be unable to vote on voting machines, and will instead have to vote by paper ballot.
In a 4:30pm all-campus email Associate Dean of the College Ray Parker wrote on behalf of Professor of Political Science Sarita Gregory, “The most important message for students: Do not leave the site without voting! You have the constitutional right to vote if you are registered in this county. The only reason you should fill out any paper or show any proof of identification is if you have been successfully challenged. At that time, you have to complete the challenge oath, but you can still vote!”
When a voter’s right to cast a ballot is challenged, there is a set protocol for resolution, according to Margulies. First, a voter or elections worker present at the polling location must make a challenge. Then the voter is required to take an oath certifying that his or her voter registration information is correct. Then there is an opportunity for the four elections specialists to question the voter and decide whether or not he or she is eligible. If at least two of the four specialists affirm that the voter is eligible, he or she can cast a vote in a polling booth.
Dutchess County Democratic Commissioner, Fran Knapp called these challenges to Vassar voters “nothing more than voter intimidation.” Knapp was outraged at the situation at Arthur S. May, and said, “you cannot wholesale block a group from voting. And that’s what [Republican election officials] are trying to do. It’s terrible. It’s a political tactic.”
Margulies urged students “not to get intimidated. Even if all inspectors [challenge you], you can still take an oath and vote.” Gregory encouraged students to visit votingatvassar.wordpress.com for updates on the situation at Arthur S. May and information about voting eligibility in today’s election.
Polls will remain open at Arthur S. May Elementary School on Raymond Ave. until 9pm tonight.
Holy moly! This is so effed up! I can’t believe they took out an injunction against ALL vassar students. That’s like, unbelievable to me. Good reporting, Kelly. Voter intimidation and disenfranchisement can really happen anywhere, man.
What FM said.
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