[EL] North Carolina Elections

[Justin Levitt]

"National Review Online has a story re: approx 35 K instances of double 
voting in North Carolina."

No, it doesn't.

National Review Online has a headline 
<http://www.nationalreview.com/corner/374882/nc-state-board-finds-more-35k-incidents-double-voting-2012-andrew-johnson> 
re: approx 35 K instances of double voting in North Carolina.
National Review Online has a _story_ re: approx 35 K instances of North 
Carolina voters who apparently share the same first name, last name, and 
date of birth with voters in other states.

In order to tell the difference between the two, you need to know:

  * Whether there were any data entry errors by NC pollworkers, in
    noting the individuals who voted,
  * Whether there were any data entry errors by other states'
    pollworkers, in noting the individuals who voted, and
  * Statistics <http://ssrn.com/abstract=997888>.

Turns out that if you actually run the numbers, there are a lot of 
people who share the same name and birthdate.  Or, if you prefer 
anecdote to math, just ask Florida Governor Richard Scott 
<http://www.mcclatchydc.com/2012/06/15/152432/florida-voter-roll-listed-gov.html>.

I would be very interested indeed in how many of the 35 K alleged double 
voters are the results of mistakes or mistaken assumptions.  And I mean 
that.  I hope that there's real follow-up.

And if there is, I'm going to bet 
<http://www.brennancenter.org/sites/default/files/analysis/The%20Truth%20About%20Voter%20Fraud.pdf> 
on the vast majority evaporating upon closer scrutiny.  Remember the 
reports of 900 dead voters <http://electionlawblog.org/?p=27864> in 
South Carolina? How'd that turn out 
<http://www.thestate.com/2013/07/13/2860754/the-buzz-sc-shocker-the-dead-are.html>? 


-- 
Justin Levitt
Associate Professor of Law
Loyola Law School | Los Angeles
919 Albany St.
Los Angeles, CA  90015
213-736-7417
justin.levitt at lls.edu
ssrn.com/author=698321

On 4/2/2014 4:13 PM, Steve Hoersting wrote:
>
> National Review Online has a story re: approx 35 K instances of double 
> voting in North Carolina.
>
> I'd supply a link, but this message is
>
> Sent from my phone.
>
>
>
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