California voters who signed what they thought were petitions were surprised when they ended up registered Republicans, they told the Los Angeles Times. The Times called some of the hundreds of people newly re-registered as Republicans by GOP contractor Young Political Majors, and found that 37 of 46, or over 80%, felt they were tricked into joining the party or joined it unknowingly. Similar charges have followed YPM nationwide, where they have registered 70,000 voters for the GOP.
Investigations into YPM have been launched in Florida, Massachusetts, and Arizona.
YPM denies it misled the voters, and a state GOP official notes that an unwanted registration “does the party no good.” But ex-Democrats’ new status could prevent them from receiving Democratic literature, which could stifle get-out-the-vote campaigns, the Times notes. “I certainly won't sign anything in front of a grocery store ever again,” said one new Republican.
(More Election 2008 stories.)
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