Ballot Security Task Force
Encyclopedia
The National Ballot Security Task Force was a controversial group founded in 1981 by the Republican National Committee
located in New Jersey
, as a means to win a gubernatorial election. The Ballot Security Task Force was alleged to have carried out 'voter-suppression' and intimidation.
The task force consisted of a group of armed, off-duty police officers wearing armbands, who were hired to patrol polling sites in African-American and Hispanic
neighborhoods of Newark
and Trenton
.
Initially, 45,000 letters were mailed (using an outdated voter registration list) to primarily Latino
and African-American citizens. These letters were later returned as non-deliverable and the 45,000 addresses were converted into a list of voters. These voters were then challenged by the BSTF. In addition, the Republican National Committee filed a request for election supervisors to strike these voters from the rolls, but the commissioners of registration refused when they discovered that the RNC had used outdated information.
On New Jersey's election day in 1981, the BSTF posted large signs, without identification but with an official appearance, reading
Armed officers in the task force were drawn from the ranks of off-duty county deputy sheriff
s and local police, who prominently displayed revolvers, two-way radios, and BSTF armbands. BSTF patrols challenged and questioned voters at the polls.
A civil lawsuit
was filed after the election, charging the RNC with illegal harassment and voter intimidation. The suit was settled in 1982, when the state and national Republican
parties signed a pledge in U.S. District Court saying that they would not allow tactics that could intimidate Democratic
voters, though they did not admit any wrongdoing.
As a result of the task force's interference in the gubernatorial election, Democrat James J. Florio
lost to Republican Thomas H. Kean
by 1,797 votes. The court order that resulted was invoked in a number of similar incidents throughout the 1980s and early 1990s. The pattern of sending mailings and creating questionable challenge lists is a model that has also endured, and has been compared by Democrats to the Republican use (and alleged misuse) of the 'scrub list
' in Florida
during the Presidential election in 2000.
In 1986, the Republican Party hired an outside company to conduct another ballot security initiative, with the intent of challenging the voting eligibility of 31,000 voters in Louisiana
, the majority of whom were black. According to a 2002 study on voter intimidation practices by the Temple Political & Civil Rights Law Review, when Democrats again sued over the ballot security task force, they came across a Republican document stating that the Louisiana program "could keep the African-American vote down considerably." Due to the evidence found in this case, in 1987, the RNC was required to enter into an agreement with the Democrats, which called for the federal courts
to pre-approve all of the Republican’s ballot security programs.
In Philadelphia’s 2003 mayoral election, there was a very organized voter intimidation that occurred. In an attempt to intimidate African Americans and discourage them from voting, the Katz campaign (or one of its associates), organized a group of men dressed in dark clothing wearing pins with insignia
of federal or local law enforcement. These men were sent into areas of the city with large African American populations and went around giving misinformation about the types of I.D.’s they needed to vote. The men were telling the African American voters that they needed a major credit card, passport, or driver’s license in order to vote, none of which was true. This voter intimidation by the Republican Party was just another one of many voting scandals that have been carried out in many elections over the past 20 years.
It is a common debate of whether ballot security programs are legitimate. There is undoubtedly some voter fraud in the U.S. from both Democratic and Republican parties. Currently, programs are being created to help prevent voting discrimination and fraud. Even after the Voting Rights Act
was passed more than 40 years ago, ballot security task forces continue to pose a threat to minority voters.
Republican National Committee
The Republican National Committee is an American political committee that provides national leadership for the Republican Party of the United States. It is responsible for developing and promoting the Republican political platform, as well as coordinating fundraising and election strategy. It is...
located in New Jersey
New Jersey
New Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware...
, as a means to win a gubernatorial election. The Ballot Security Task Force was alleged to have carried out 'voter-suppression' and intimidation.
The task force consisted of a group of armed, off-duty police officers wearing armbands, who were hired to patrol polling sites in African-American and Hispanic
Hispanic and Latino Americans
Hispanic or Latino Americans are Americans with origins in the Hispanic countries of Latin America or in Spain, and in general all persons in the United States who self-identify as Hispanic or Latino.1990 Census of Population and Housing: A self-designated classification for people whose origins...
neighborhoods of Newark
Newark, New Jersey
Newark is the largest city in the American state of New Jersey, and the seat of Essex County. As of the 2010 United States Census, Newark had a population of 277,140, maintaining its status as the largest municipality in New Jersey. It is the 68th largest city in the U.S...
and Trenton
Trenton, New Jersey
Trenton is the capital of the U.S. state of New Jersey and the county seat of Mercer County. As of the 2010 United States Census, Trenton had a population of 84,913...
.
Initially, 45,000 letters were mailed (using an outdated voter registration list) to primarily Latino
Latino
The demonyms Latino and Latina , are defined in English language dictionaries as:* "a person of Latin-American descent."* "A Latin American."* "A person of Hispanic, especially Latin-American, descent, often one living in the United States."...
and African-American citizens. These letters were later returned as non-deliverable and the 45,000 addresses were converted into a list of voters. These voters were then challenged by the BSTF. In addition, the Republican National Committee filed a request for election supervisors to strike these voters from the rolls, but the commissioners of registration refused when they discovered that the RNC had used outdated information.
On New Jersey's election day in 1981, the BSTF posted large signs, without identification but with an official appearance, reading
Armed officers in the task force were drawn from the ranks of off-duty county deputy sheriff
Sheriff
A sheriff is in principle a legal official with responsibility for a county. In practice, the specific combination of legal, political, and ceremonial duties of a sheriff varies greatly from country to country....
s and local police, who prominently displayed revolvers, two-way radios, and BSTF armbands. BSTF patrols challenged and questioned voters at the polls.
A civil lawsuit
Civil law (common law)
Civil law, as opposed to criminal law, is the branch of law dealing with disputes between individuals or organizations, in which compensation may be awarded to the victim...
was filed after the election, charging the RNC with illegal harassment and voter intimidation. The suit was settled in 1982, when the state and national Republican
Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
parties signed a pledge in U.S. District Court saying that they would not allow tactics that could intimidate Democratic
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
voters, though they did not admit any wrongdoing.
As a result of the task force's interference in the gubernatorial election, Democrat James J. Florio
James Florio
James Joseph "Jim" Florio is a Democratic politician who served as the 49th Governor of New Jersey from 1990 to 1994, the first Italian American to hold the position...
lost to Republican Thomas H. Kean
Thomas Kean
Thomas Howard Kean is an American Republican Party politician, who served as the 48th Governor of New Jersey from 1982 to 1990. Kean is best known globally, however, for his 2002 appointment as Chairman of the National Commission on Terrorist Attacks Upon the United States, widely known as the...
by 1,797 votes. The court order that resulted was invoked in a number of similar incidents throughout the 1980s and early 1990s. The pattern of sending mailings and creating questionable challenge lists is a model that has also endured, and has been compared by Democrats to the Republican use (and alleged misuse) of the 'scrub list
Florida Central Voter File
The Florida Central Voter File was an internal list of legally eligible voters used by the US Florida Department of State Division of Elections to monitor the official voter lists maintained by the 67 county governments in the State of Florida between 1998 and January 1, 2006...
' in Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
during the Presidential election in 2000.
In 1986, the Republican Party hired an outside company to conduct another ballot security initiative, with the intent of challenging the voting eligibility of 31,000 voters in Louisiana
Louisiana
Louisiana is a state located in the southern region of the United States of America. Its capital is Baton Rouge and largest city is New Orleans. Louisiana is the only state in the U.S. with political subdivisions termed parishes, which are local governments equivalent to counties...
, the majority of whom were black. According to a 2002 study on voter intimidation practices by the Temple Political & Civil Rights Law Review, when Democrats again sued over the ballot security task force, they came across a Republican document stating that the Louisiana program "could keep the African-American vote down considerably." Due to the evidence found in this case, in 1987, the RNC was required to enter into an agreement with the Democrats, which called for the federal courts
United States federal courts
The United States federal courts make up the judiciary branch of federal government of the United States organized under the United States Constitution and laws of the federal government.-Categories:...
to pre-approve all of the Republican’s ballot security programs.
In Philadelphia’s 2003 mayoral election, there was a very organized voter intimidation that occurred. In an attempt to intimidate African Americans and discourage them from voting, the Katz campaign (or one of its associates), organized a group of men dressed in dark clothing wearing pins with insignia
Insignia
Insignia or insigne pl -nia or -nias : a symbol or token of personal power, status or office, or of an official body of government or jurisdiction...
of federal or local law enforcement. These men were sent into areas of the city with large African American populations and went around giving misinformation about the types of I.D.’s they needed to vote. The men were telling the African American voters that they needed a major credit card, passport, or driver’s license in order to vote, none of which was true. This voter intimidation by the Republican Party was just another one of many voting scandals that have been carried out in many elections over the past 20 years.
It is a common debate of whether ballot security programs are legitimate. There is undoubtedly some voter fraud in the U.S. from both Democratic and Republican parties. Currently, programs are being created to help prevent voting discrimination and fraud. Even after the Voting Rights Act
Voting Rights Act
The Voting Rights Act of 1965 is a landmark piece of national legislation in the United States that outlawed discriminatory voting practices that had been responsible for the widespread disenfranchisement of African Americans in the U.S....
was passed more than 40 years ago, ballot security task forces continue to pose a threat to minority voters.