ACORN: The Scandal

Since 2004, ACORN, a non-profit organization, has registered more than 1.7 million low-income and minority citizens to vote. In fact, just about 60% of all those who are registered by ACORN are a minority. However, recently the validity of 1.3 million newly registered voters is being questioned. Bogus registration cards have been filled out in the names of cartoon characters and the starting lineup of the Dallas Cowboys as well children as young as eight years old. These bogus registration cards are now being investigated in about 12 states including the swing states of Ohio, Pennsylvania and Florida. While the FBI is currently looking into these charges regarding voter fraud, there is now way to say exactly how many registration cards were fraudulent, at least not as of right now. With the push towards registering more minority and lower class citizens, comes the question of how many ballots were fabricated.

Putting aside any potential fabrications in the registration of voters, ACORN has made great strides in registering minority voters. Within the state of Nevada, ACORN has registered nearly 80,000 new minority and young voters. As of October 6th, ACORN, partnered with Project Vote, had the biggest registration drive, totaling upwards of 1.3 million new voters. The majority of the voters registered in these drives are young, African-American, Latino, and/or low-income Americans according to Bertha Lewis, the Interim Chief Organizer of ACORN.

In efforts to quiet the rumors surrounding their voter registration methods, ACORN has completely fired all staff members involved and claims to have hired professionals to review every application that is submitted by canvassers. Anytime there is a suspicious application ACORN submits it to election officials to review, so as not to take any chances.

The RNC, and John McCain specifically, have used this ACORN scandal to try and persuade independent and unsure voters that Obama is not trustworthy. Having represented ACORN in a 1995 lawsuit, McCain demands that Obama explain his ties to this group. As of October 29th, the Republican National Committee is claiming that the Obama campaign still has strong ties to ACORN, “including the more than $800,000 it paid to a subsidiary, some of which went directly to ACORN for get-out-the-vote efforts” and this should be looked at very closely since this “compromises the integrity of our nation’s electoral process.” (RNC Chief Counsel Sean Cairncross).

While most Get Out The Vote efforts work tremendously hard to register voters, there are some campaigns that do use fraudulent tactics in order to push false voting ballots. However, even with the problems ACORN faces in many states, early voting has not decreased in the least. In fact, in many states that are considered to be battleground and have been effected by the ACORN scandal, there has been an increase in voters. Specifically, in Michigan there were great problems regarding the registering of voters but currently early voting shows that people, especially minorities, coming out and voting in great numbers. Minority and specifically Black voters have the power to sway the swing vote in either direction and clearly the ACORN scandal has not stopped them from using their voice.

Overall, the ACORN scandal has the potential to blemish the reputations of all Get Out The Vote efforts. Clearly though, it has not hindered other organizations to continue to register minority voters in hopes of increasing their turnout in this upcoming election. With less than a week until Election Day, it will be very interesting to see how effectively Get Out the Vote campaigns worked and if the ACORN scandal has any effect on the minds of voters while in the voting booth.

Further reading:
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/otherlocalelectionstories/2008323762_acorn29m.html

http://www.marketwatch.com/news/story/RNC-Denounces-ACORNs-Charges-Voter/story.aspx?guid={A978C736-0347-46E3-B901-DFBA08B43495}

http://www.acorn.org/index.php?id=12340