Republicans: Claim of voter fraud a scare tactic

Kirsten Searer

Tuesday, Oct. 19, 2004 | 9:43 a.m.

Republicans are rebutting charges by a local man that workers from their party deliberately registered his Republican family members and did not register him because he was a Democrat.

Dwight Brandon, 44, told the Sun and several other media outlets Monday that he tried to register in front of the Meadows mall with his father and mother, Theodis and Bonnie Brandon.

People outside the mall said they worked for the Republican Party but offered to register them if they were Democrats, Dwight Brandon said.

Yet on Monday Brandon said that his Republican parents are now registered and he is not.

Voter records show, however, that new voter registration cards from Theodis and Bonnie Brandon have been turned in -- listing them as Democrats. Records show the couple both have been Democrats since 2002.

Brian Scroggins, chairman of the Clark County Republican Party, said this is one example of the Democratic Party's effort to create the illusion of voter fraud in case they want to challenge the election.

The story, he said, is part of a Democratic effort to "manipulate media coverage and scare Nevada voters."

Brandon said he wasn't sure why he told the media his parents were Republicans, but he maintains he filled out a voter registration card that day and was unfairly left off the voter rolls.

"We don't actually talk about who's voting for who in my family," he said. "Another lady handled their case."

He added: "I'm hoping I get a chance to vote."

Andres Ramirez, state director of Voices for Working Families, a nonpartisan group, is still offering to help Brandon with legal fees to gain voting rights. Ramirez said the group expects to file a lawsuit today.

Whether Brandon's parents registered Republican is "irrelevant," Ramirez said.

"They had one form that was a Democrat that they did not turn in," Ramirez said. "And they had no reason to because the others were registered."