Republicans challenge 5,600 addresses that may not exist
Complaint filed within minutes of city's deadline
By MEG JONES  Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
Posted: Oct. 27, 2004

State Republicans filed a last-minute complaint Wednesday with the Milwaukee Election Commission claiming that 5,600 city addresses on the voter rolls may not exist.

The commission will meet at 9 a.m. today to consider the Republican allegation.

The Republican Party of Wisconsin checked the addresses of more than 300,000 people registered to vote in the city with a software program also used by the U.S. Postal Service.

Republicans found that 5,619 addresses may be non-existent and then visited a number of the addresses. They snapped photos showing vacant lots, a gyro stand, a park and spots between two houses where the address should have been.

A Republican Party spokesman said the GOP routinely checks voter rolls to purge files and was interested in the city of Milwaukee because of the large number of new voter registrations for this presidential election.

"George Bush lost the state by 5,708 votes, so these kinds of things do matter," Chris Lato said.

A spokesman for John Kerry sharply criticized the move by Republicans, saying it was merely to prevent people, most likely those who lean Democratic, to vote.

"This is part of a consistent effort on their part to try and call the legitimacy of the electoral system into question," said George Twigg, Kerry's Wisconsin campaign director.

"Time and again Democrats have been working to encourage more to participate and encourage high participation. Republicans continue to file these often wildly inaccurate challenges to attempt to disenfranchise people," Twigg said.
Minutes to go

Election Commissioner Allen Campos said a complaint was filed at 4:57 p.m. Wednesday, which prompted today's special meeting. The complaint was filed just three minutes before the city deadline.

The commission will have to determine whether the addresses are invalid because they don't exist or whether they're invalid simply because of a data processing error, such as an inverted house number, said Patrick Curley, chief of staff for Mayor Tom Barrett. The software used to check the addresses will also be examined.

"The fact is, the complaint was filed and we do have to address the issues and give them a fair public hearing," Curley said.

He added that all voters should bring identification when they vote to ensure a smooth voting process.

Among the addresses that don't exist, according to the GOP complaint:
1858 W. Fairmount Ave. Someone listing that address voted in November 2000 and November 2002, but a photo shows a street corner with no home.
5754 W. Villard Ave. Someone listing that address voted in April, but a photo shows a gyro stand on a corner with advertisements adorning a chain link fence.
8829 W. Bender Ave. Someone listing that address voted in November 2000, in April, September and November 2002, and in February and April this year, but a photo shows the address would have to be in a small space between two houses.

Darrin Schmitz, executive director of the Wisconsin Republican Party, said the software used to find the non-existent addresses is the same software used by the Postal Service when that agency tries to determine if an address is valid.
Similar efforts elsewhere

Twigg compared the petition to efforts by Republicans in other states challenging voter addresses and registrations.

"We saw it in Ohio. Their allegations there were plagued with inaccuracies," Twigg said. "It remains to be seen how much credence there is in any of these latest allegations. But based on their track record in Ohio, I'm not that confident."

Schmitz disputed Twigg's comments and said Republicans filed the petition to make sure that every ballot is cast by someone who is eligible to vote.

"We should not be in a position where someone casts a vote dishonestly and cancels the vote of someone who should be participating in the Democratic process," Schmitz said.