Editorial: Voting gone haywire

Thursday, Oct. 14, 2004 | 9:09 a.m.

"Voter registration drive" has a positive ring to it. But in reality it often, anymore, simply means throngs of out-of-state solicitors manning tables at public gathering places as a means to a day's pay. Nevada, a battleground state, has been overrun with such drives. And county registrars are witness to the result: bogus registration forms, missing forms and tales of partisanship.

Clark County Registrar Larry Lomax weeks ago sounded the alarm about massive voter fraud likely emanating from these private groups. Questions are now being directed at Voters Outreach of America, a group paid by the Republican National Committee to register voters in Las Vegas and Reno. Would-be voters, and at least one former VOC staff member, are complaining to Clark and Washoe counties and to the media that the group either turned away Democrats or destroyed their registration forms.

We believe such "registration drives" are getting out of control. We see the need for voter outreach, but county election departments should be in charge. Our precious votes should not be entrusted to fly-by-nighters.

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