Colin Small's election fraud is the tip of the GOP iceberg

This week the Virginia blogosphere was electrified by the story of GOP election consultant Colin Small, who was allegedly caught trashing valid Virginia voter registration forms, thereby potentially cheating people of their right to vote in this year's elections. Small's case is particularly egrgrious and his story was broken this week by Ben Tribbett in his "Not Larry Sabato" blog, but Colin Small is just the tip of the iceberg that is the GOP voter suppression effort here in Virginia this year. Consider the following story from the Virginia State Board of Elections:

Rumor Buster: Vote by Phone Scam

For Immediate Release: For More Information:

October 12, 2012 Nikki Sheridan

nikki.sheridan@sbe.virginia.gov

Voters Targeted with False Information on Ability to Vote by Phone

Voters, especially seniors, receiving calls and told they can vote by phone

Richmond, VA – The Virginia State Board of Elections (SBE) is aware that some Virginia voters, particularly older Virginians, are receiving phone calls from unidentified individuals informing voters that they can vote over the phone. This information is false. Virginia law does not permit voting through the telephone. Apart from voting at the polls on Election Day, eligible Virginians may vote an absentee ballot by mail or in-person at the registrar’s office or other authorized satellite location. However, voting cannot be done via the phone, email, or any other means than absentee voting by mail and in-person during the absentee voting period or on Election Day.

At this point in time, it is unclear how widespread these calls have been. However, SBE has received several complaints over the past few days.

These calls may violate several state and federal laws and the State Board of Elections will alert appropriate law enforcement authorities regarding this matter and provide new information if SBE receives additional voter complaints.

We encourage any voter who receives a call matching this description to ask for the name, phone number, and organization from where the individual is calling. We then ask voters to contact the State Board of Elections at 1-800-552-9745 and provide a staff member with that information.

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The Republican Party is desperate and morally bankrupt. They know that if everyone who had the right to voted voted in their own, rational self-interest, the Republican Party would be consigned to the trash heap of history. The Republican Party is going to do anything it can to prevent ordinary Americans from voting and having their voices heard. Colin Small and the people behind the vote by phone scam aren't the exception: they are the cutting edge of GOP voter suppression in 2012.

Visit Ben Tribbett at Not Larry Sabato for the best ongoing coverage of the Colin Smalls case.