Ms. Schinker,
Yours is perhaps the the most honest and pertinent reply to this issue. Be Warned all Malicious Cross Voters. You will be identified in Public Voter Rolls as a registered member of that party until you can change that status in the next PRIMARY election. Not in the next election but in the next PRIMARY election. You will open yourselves to the legal "slings and arrows of outrageous political literature and phone solicitations" with no legal recourse available to you to block them. It's "political speech" and given extra protections. Internet searches on your name will reveal this Political Affiliation. And your name will be prized above others for you are "A New and untapped Name". And this is why neither party discourages cross-voting.

Anything coming fromFOX news is not creditable !

I didn't know about the story, James, but you're absolutely right. They were convicted of misdemeanors and given probation for doing the same type of thing-- but based on what I've read, I believe they should be behind bars. It doesn't matter who did it first, or what party they're from. Good researching.

I know you don't believe me, so I'll just keep saying it with a smile: I am not a Democrat.

And for Anita, the link at bottom is a CBS story, should that help the credibility.

http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-503544_162-20044674-503544.html

Patrick,
thank you. Just to let you know that in the Political Circles that I travel in it is well known that if I get wind of any shenanigans of this nature going on I will oppose them and will expose them if they go forward. I have not had to yet. This type of subversion of the electoral process has no place anywhere and anyone involved needs to meet up with Criminal Justice System.

Uhh...citing a story where TWO people were charged with fraud does not prove your point at all. Except to partisan hacks who think it does, but they're irrelevant anyway.

The fact is, as much as people (esp. right wingers) love to scream "fraud" every time a democrat or democratic issue is passed, they have no solid and substantiated evidence to support there's been widespread fraud. There will always be ISOLATED (key word) pockets of misconduct/fraud, but there are Republicans guilty of it as much as the Dems. Like Newt Gringrich's claim recently in his own campaign and Mitt Romney, as this story states -- and he's been criticized as such by conservatives.

Mr. Helbig,
These were not just two people but, two former highly positioned administrators of the Oakland Co. Democratic Party. "The fact is, as much as people (esp. right wingers) love to scream "fraud" every time a democrat or democratic issue is passed, they have no solid and substantiated evidence to support there's been widespread fraud." I agree, and Democrats have exactly as much for their unsubstantiated charges. Patrick met me half way on this, will you be as honest?

James,
I agree with you that the Dems' claims are unsubstantiated as well. We saw the Dems claiming that after the 2000 election and the whole "hanging chad" fiasco & everything else involved leading up to an extremely embarrassing chapter in American history that the Presidency had to be determined by SUPCO. Plus, you did have some questionable decisions made along the lines calling into conflict of interest issues, etc., as it was later determined). But over the last few years (esp. since the election of BHO), one of the main battle cries by right-wingers is fraud (from the President being a fraud to the the widespread voting rolls being juiced w/fake names to get him elected (which were unfounded), etc.

Plus, as we're finding out with the Cuyahoga County corruption trial going on here in Akron, there were some fraudulent campaigns run in Cuyahoga County.
I do believe there is malicious cross-voting going on (remember when Rush was encouraging that in the 2008 election?), but proving the INTENT is rather difficult. I remember the Jane Platten (Cuy Co. BOE Dir.) being asked this issue and she said it would be very difficult to prove the malicious intent (unless someone was bouncing back and forth every election or something like that, then I could see it come into question).
I also agree wholeheartedly w/your response to Patrick. It's quite a shame how such a basic right -- voting -- has become the issue it has become.

John,

First, Patch requires you to use your actual first and last name. Might want to fix your account or they will suspend it. Second, I don't feel that the article is a "thinly veiled" suggestion at all. That's like saying that talking about sex with teens makes them want to have it. On the contrary, burying our heads in the sand about an issue makes it no less of an issue (just less transparent).

I am with you on the "independent voter disenfranchisement" however - and the fact that the system is broken. The two party system has devolved into each party against the other at all costs. Sadly, it sometimes feels like "We, the People" have very little influence anymore. (I think THAT is the real message of the Occupy movement!) I keep waiting for a viable 3rd party to arise, but of course the two established parties will do everything they can to keep another player out of the game.

Optimist that I am, I still believe that enough principled individuals, working together, CAN change the system. Maybe the disorganized independent vote is the best 3rd party we can expect.

John,
Debbie Schinker is correct in stating that I am not encouraging anyone, Republican or Democrat, to engage in malicious cross-voting. My point is that ANY party can suffer from this tactic, so it is the best interest of EVERY party to find a way to stop it.

I am agreeing with Debbie on this one. You need to use your real name, per our terms of use. It's a solid discussion. Note that folks talked about the issue in an intelligent manner, rather than accusing the author (a nice post, by the way) of voter fraud.

I brought this issue up (about using first names or ridiculous ones) in another post.
The editors/moderators have no reservation about pulling posts & cite violation of TOS, but yet keep posts by people who clearly can not read and comprehend & insist on not being mature/adult enough to use their ACTUAL first and last names. For goodness sakes, in another story, you have the "Paul-bots" (as I call them) simply using a letter for their 'name.'

You can't unilaterally enforce one TOS vigorously (which you do) and let one slide (well, you can, but it would make it no better than the forums at cleveland dot com or ohio dot com, where people can make ridiculous comments behind a ridiculous alias/name).

Jack - if you think someone's post violates TOS, click the "flag as inappropriate" button so it is brought to the attention of the powers that be. At least, that is what I regularly do.

Debbie,
I have done that.

Anita,
will your disdain also follow those states that have Democratic Majorities and are disenfranchising and suppressing Republican voters? If you research it you will find that it IS there.

Anita,
Wha? Defend this post or delete it.

Anita,
the fact is you display as much open mindedness as you credit me with, or less. Do you admit this possibility?

Anita A.
you possess something rare and curious, a one sided coin.