[EL] Gingrich and signature fraud

[Paul Gronke]

Gingrich apparently doesn't read my blog.  Shocked shocked!

I wrote about "voter fraud" allegations in Indiana a few months ago (http://www.earlyvoting.net/blog/2011/10/allegations-absentee-voter-fraud-indiana-dont-add), suggesting that many of the allegations were not voter fraud but were in fact fraudulent signature gathering or fraudulent voter registration.  At the time, my concern was the political actors and willing media accomplices were lumping both under the rubric "voter fraud" which, in my mind at least, should be strictly limited to cases where an individual ballot was illegally cast.

But I made this point at the end of the commentary, which is applicable to Gingrich's situation: 

	"And fourth, most of what was alleged in Indiana can be eliminated by banning payment by the signature or by the registration card--something we banned in Oregon a number of years ago."  

The National Conference on State Legislatures maintains a nice page outlining the various laws in place to regulate petitioners (http://www.ncsl.org/default.aspx?tabid=16502).    Perhaps paying a "piece work" rate incentivizes signature gatherers to work harder and collect more signatures, but don't act surprised when you end up with a lot of falsified names.  That's why experienced signature gathering firms routinely gather 50% or 100% more than the required number.

It's an easy lesson for any politician to learn: if you pay by the signature, you incentivize fraud.  If you pay by the hour, you don't.  It's as simple as that.  

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Paul Gronke                Ph:  503-517-7393
			               Fax: 734-661-0801

Professor, Reed College
Director, Early Voting Information Center 3203 SE Woodstock Blvd.
Portland OR 97202

EVIC: http://earlyvoting.net

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On Dec 28, 2011, at 3:42 PM, Rick Hasen wrote:
> ?Gingrich: Campaign worker?s signature fraud cost slot on Virginia ballot?
> 
> Posted on December 28, 2011 2:55 pm by Rick Hasen
> This argument would not jibe well with any attempt to join Rick Perry?s Va. ballot access lawsuit at some point.
> 
> <share_save_171_16.png>
> Posted in ballot access | Comments Off