Keb' Mo': ♪ O BEAUTIFUL
FOR SPACIOUS SKIES,
FOR AMBER WAVES OF GRAIN ♪
♪ FOR PURPLE MOUNTAIN MAJESTIES
ABOVE THE FRUITED PLAIN... ♪
Mo Rocca: IT'S MORNING
IN WASHINGTON D.C., HOME OF
THE GREATEST EXPERIMENT
IN SELF-GOVERNANCE SINCE...
WELL, SINCE EVER.
IT'S A NATION WHERE EVERY
PERSON HAS A VOICE AND EVERY
VOICE IS HEARD.
IT'S ONE NATION, UNDER GOD,
INDIVISI...
WELL, YOU GET THE PICTURE.
Keb' Mo': ♪ FROM SEA
TO SHINING, SHINING SEA. ♪
BUT AMERICA IS AT WAR.
[MORTAR WHOOSHES, GUNS FIRING]
I'M NOT TALKING ABOUT A
SHOOTING WAR LIKE AFGHANISTAN.
[MACHINE GUN FIRING...]
I'M NOT EVEN TALKING
ABOUT THE WAR ON TERROR.
NOPE.
AMERICA IS ENGAGED IN A TOTALLY
DIFFERENT KIND OF WAR-- BEING
FOUGHT RIGHT HERE WITHIN OUR
BORDERS-- OVER ONE
OF DEMOCRACY'S MOST SACRED
ACTS: VOTING.
ON ONE SIDE, FORCES DEVOTED
TO STOPPING WHAT THEY SAY IS
POTENTIALLY MASSIVE
VOTER FRAUD.
TV Reporter: ACORN'S VOTER
REGISTRATION DRIVES ARE UNDER
INVESTIGATION IN SEVERAL STATES.
WE NEED TO KNOW THE FULL
EXTENT OF SENATOR OBAMA'S
RELATIONSHIP WITH ACORN,
WHO IS NOW ON THE VERGE OF MAYBE
PERPETRATING ONE OF THE GREATEST
FRAUDS IN VOTER HISTORY IN THIS
COUNTRY, MAYBE DESTROYING
THE FABRIC OF DEMOCRACY.
ON THE OTHER SIDE, A MOVEMENT
THAT BELIEVES INDIVIDUALS
ARE BEING SYSTEMATICALLY AND
DELIBERATELY DISENFRANCHISED.
Group: THE VOTE! THE VOTE!
PROTECT THE RIGHT TO VOTE!
Bill Clinton: THERE HAS NEVER
BEEN IN MY LIFETIME, SINCE WE
GOT RID OF THE JIM CROW BURDENS
ON VOTING, THE DETERMINED EFFORT
TO LIMIT THE FRANCHISE THAT
WE SEE TODAY.
Rocca: THOSE CAUGHT
IN THE CROSSFIRE?
MILLIONS OF AMERICAN VOTERS
JUST LIKE YOU AND ME.
AND NO, YOUR FLAT FEET ARE NOT
GONNA KEEP YOU OUT OF THIS ONE.
[♪...]
I'M MO ROCCA.
MY JOURNEY BEGAN FOUR YEARS
AGO, WHEN I HEADED TO THE FRONT
LINES OF THIS EPIC
AND ONGOING BATTLE.
I WANTED TO SEE FOR MYSELF HOW
VOTING WORKS IN AMERICA.
...ROCCA THE VOTE!
ROCCA THE VOTE!
...WHAT I FOUND WAS
SOMETIMES SHOCKING...
IT'S JUST A SIMPLE LITTLE
THING-- THEY DON'T WANT TO PUT
THEM BALLOTS THROUGH THAT
MACHINE ON ELECTION DAY.
SOMETIMES ENCOURAGING...
WE WANT THE BALLOTS TO TIP
TO OUR SIDE, OBVIOUSLY,
AS REPUBLICANS... BUT YOU HAVE
TO HAVE DEMOCRATS, TOO.
THEY'RE GONNA BE THERE.
SO I ROOT FOR THE GOOD ONES.
AND ALWAYS SURPRISING.
Man: REDNECKS FOR OBAMA!
Man 2: HELL YEAH, ABSOLUTELY!
THIS IS MY WAR DIARY.
[BRASS BAND PLAYS
"AMERICA THE BEAUTIFUL"...]
[PAPER SHREDDING...]
[MUSIC ENDS]
O.K., SO WHO GETS TO VOTE
IN AMERICA?
WELL, YOU'RE ALLOWED TO VOTE
IF YOU'RE BORN HERE.
SIMPLE ENOUGH.
TELL ME WHAT THE TROUBLE IS.
I'M GOING TO HAVE A BABY.
Man: I HEREBY DECLARE
ON OATH...
All: I HEREBY DECLARE
ON OATH...
YOU ALSO GET TO VOTE
IF YOU BECOME A CITIZEN.
SO FAR, SO GOOD.
BUT HISTORY IS CHOCK-FULL
OF STORIES ABOUT EXCLUDED
GROUPS FIGHTING AND DYING TO
GET THE RIGHTS AND PRIVILEGES
DUE AMERICAN CITIZENS.
WHICH BEGS THE QUESTION...
...IS VOTING A RIGHT
OR A PRIVILEGE?
A RIGHT.
IS VOTING A RIGHT
OR A PRIVILEGE?
I THINK IT'S, UH... BOTH.
YOU HAVE TO CHOOSE.
I HAVE TO CHOOSE BETWEEN
A RIGHT AND A PRIVILEGE?
YEAH, THAT'S THE WAY THE GAME
IS PLAYED.
OH, I THINK IT'S A RIGHT.
WHAT DOES YOUR FRIEND THINK?
TYLER, DO YOU THINK VOTING
IS A RIGHT OR A PRIVILEGE?
HE THINKS IT'S A RIGHT, TOO.
VOTING IS A PRIVILEGE...
UM... WHICH IS WHAT I TELL
MY STUDENTS.
I THINK IF YOU'RE A CITIZEN,
THEN YOU SHOULD HAVE THE RIGHT
TO VOTE.
ALL RIGHT, THERE SEEMS TO BE
SOME CONFUSION HERE.
SO WHO BETTER TO SORT THIS OUT
FOR ME THAN SOME OF OUR
COUNTRY'S NEWLY MINTED
CITIZENS?
I MEAN, THEY JUST TOOK A TEST
ON THIS STUFF.
LUCKILY WE HAPPENED UPON A
GIANT COPY OF THE CONSTITUTION
AND WENT TO WORK.
...YOU'RE UP IN ARTICLE 1,
IS THERE ANYTHING THERE?
Woman: NOTHING.
THIS IS THE WRONG COPY, I THINK.
NO, THIS IS THE CONSTITUTION.
THIS IS THE CONSTITUTION...
I THINK IT IS THAT.
YEAH... NO, SAM, I THINK
YOU'RE OVER IN CONGRESS
RIGHT HERE.
ANY VOTING THERE?
I DON'T FIND ANYTHING.
Woman: THERE'S A LOT OF
STUFF IN THERE BUT NOTHING
ABOUT VOTING.
I HAVEN'T SEEN IT...
I HAVEN'T SEEN ANYTHING.
YEAH, I COULDN'T FIND
ANYTHING.
...BUT EVEN USING A HIGH-TECH
MAGNIFYING DEVICE,
WE WERE COMING UP EMPTY.
I DECIDED I NEEDED HELP
FROM AN EXPERT.
...I'VE BEEN LOOKING ALL OVER
THE CONSTITUTION FOR THE RIGHT
TO VOTE AND I CAN'T FIND IT.
I'M NOT SURPRISED.
THERE IS NO RIGHT TO VOTE
IN THE CONSTITUTION.
YOU'RE NOT KIDDING ME?
NO, I'M NOT KIDDING YOU.
UM... THE CONSTITUTION AT THE
NATION'S BIRTH MADE NO MENTION
OF VOTING RIGHTS WHATSOEVER.
DID THEY JUST FORGET TO?
NO, THEY DIDN'T FORGET TO.
THEY WERE UNSURE, IN FACT,
WHETHER VOTING WAS A RIGHT
OR A PRIVILEGE.
AND IF IT WAS A RIGHT,
THEY WEREN'T SURE WHO THE RIGHT
ACTUALLY BELONGED TO.
THIS CONSTITUTIONAL SILENCE
ON THE RIGHT TO VOTE PUTS THE
U.S. IN THE COMPANY OF NATIONS
LIKE LIBYA, IRAN AND INDONESIA.
IN TERMS OF THE CONSTITUTION,
WHAT WE HAVE IS A KIND OF RAGTAG
SERIES OF AD-HOC CONSTITUTIONAL
AMENDMENTS THAT HAVE BEEN ADDED
THROUGH POPULAR STRUGGLE TO SAY
YOU CAN'T DISCRIMINATE
ON THE BASIS OF RACE--
THE 15th AMENDMENT--
YOU CAN'T DISCRIMINATE
ON THE BASIS OF SEX--
THE 19th AMENDMENT--
PEOPLE IN THE SEAT OF GOVERNMENT
HAVE THE RIGHT TO PARTICIPATE
IN PRESIDENTIAL ELECTIONS--
THE 23rd.
BUT OTHER THAN THESE KIND OF
ANTI-DISCRIMINATION AMENDMENTS,
WE DON'T HAVE THE AFFIRMATIVE
UNIVERSAL RIGHT TO VOTE LIKE
YOU FIND IN THE SOUTH AFRICA
CONSTITUTION, WHICH JUST SIMPLY
SAYS, "EVERYBODY'S GOT A RIGHT
TO VOTE," THAT'S WHAT IT MEANS
TO HAVE A DEMOCRACY, THAT'S WHAT
"WE THE PEOPLE" REALLY MEANS.
JAMIE TOLD ME THAT THE
DRAFTERS OF THE CONSTITUTION
SIDESTEPPED THE CONFLICT BY
LEAVING THE DECISION ABOUT WHO
COULD OR COULD NOT VOTE
UP TO THE STATES.
IT ALL STARTED WHEN 13 COLONIES
DECIDED TO HOOK UP AND MAKE
A GO OF IT.
BUT AS IN ANY RELATIONSHIP,
THEY DIDN'T WANT TO GIVE UP
ALL THEIR INDEPENDENCE.
EACH COLONY WANTED THE POWER
TO MAKE ITS OWN RULES, BECAUSE,
YOU KNOW, THIS NEW COUNTRY
COULD BE SO SMOTHERING
AT TIMES.
EVENTUALLY, THE NEW NATION
DECIDED IT NEEDED TO START
SEEING OTHER STATES--
37 TO BE EXACT.
HEY, DON'T JUDGE--
IT WAS A DIFFERENT TIME.
AND EACH STATE BROUGHT ITS OWN
BAGGAGE, OF COURSE.
CITIES, TOWNS AND COUNTIES,
ALL OF WHICH WANTED THEIR OWN
SAY IN HOW TO CONDUCT
ELECTIONS.
AFTER MORE THAN 200 YEARS,
THIS LOOSEY-GOOSEY UNION HAS
GROWN VERY COMPLICATED.
13,000 SEPARATE ELECTORAL
DISTRICTS: EACH WITH ITS OWN
RULES ABOUT VOTING, BALLOT
DESIGN, POLL-WORKER TRAINING
AND RECOUNTS.
AND MOST OF THE BLAME GOES
TO THAT CONSTITUTION, WHICH
GAVE STATES CONTROL OVER
VOTING AND SET UP... [RUMBLING]
THE ELECTORAL COLLEGE.
[♪...]
...DO YOU KNOW WHERE I CAN FIND
THE ELECTORAL COLLEGE?
NO, I'M FROM TENNESSEE.
GO UP TWO BLOCKS
AND TURN LEFT.
IT'LL BE THE FIRST DOOR
ON YOUR RIGHT.
I NEVER HEARD OF IT.
WHERE YOU CAN FIND
THE ELECTORAL COLLEGE?
THAT'S AN EXCELLENT QUESTION.
I DON'T THINK ANYBODY CAN ANSWER
THAT, CAN THEY?
ALL RIGHT.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
YOU'RE VERY WELCOME,
HAVE A GOOD ONE.
Keyssar: THE ELECTORAL
COLLEGE WAS CREATED AFTER
A SUMMER THAT THE FOUNDING
FATHERS SPENT SCRATCHING THEIR
HEADS AND TRYING TO FIGURE OUT
HOW TO CHOOSE A PRESIDENT.
ONE THOUGHT WAS TO HAVE CONGRESS
CHOOSE THE PRESIDENT.
THEN THEY THOUGHT, "NO, THAT
WOULD MAKE THE PRESIDENT
TOO DEPENDENT ON CONGRESS."
THERE WERE A FEW PEOPLE WHO
SAID, "LET'S HAVE A NATIONAL
ELECTION."
BUT THAT WAS OPPOSED PARTLY
BECAUSE IT WAS FELT THAT PEOPLE
DIDN'T KNOW, WOULDN'T KNOW
THE CANDIDATES.
YOU KNOW, IT'S A RURAL COUNTRY,
SPREAD OUT.
THE OTHER REASON AGAINST
A POPULAR ELECTION WAS THAT IT
WOULD'VE GIVEN LESS POWER
TO THE SOUTH, TO THE
SLAVE-HOLDING SOUTH.
THAT LED TO THE NOTORIOUS
THREE-FIFTHS COMPROMISE,
WHICH COUNTED EACH SLAVE
AS THREE-FIFTHS OF A PERSON.
THIS GAVE THE SOUTHERN STATES
EXTRA REPRESENTATIVES IN
CONGRESS AND EXTRA VOTES
IN THE ELECTORAL COLLEGE,
THEORETICALLY CREATING
A BALANCE BETWEEN NORTH
AND SOUTH.
OF COURSE, NEITHER SIDE
ACTUALLY ALLOWED ENSLAVED
PEOPLE TO VOTE.
SO THOSE TWO OPTIONS, AN
ACTUAL POPULAR VOTE OR CONGRESS
CHOOSING THE PRESIDENT, SEEMED
TO HAVE A LOT OF DISADVANTAGES,
AND THEY CAME UP WITH THIS IDEA,
WHICH WAS NOT SO UNCOMMON
AT THE TIME, OF HAVING AN
INDIRECT ELECTION WHERE YOU
CHOOSE ELECTORS AND THEN
THE ELECTORS... UH...
CHOOSE THE PRESIDENT.
SOUNDS GOOD IN THEORY,
BUT IN PRACTICE, WELL, EVEN
A THIRD-GRADER CAN SEE
THERE ARE PROBLEMS.
...WE'RE GONNA HAVE A LITTLE
ELECTION HERE AND I'M GOING
TO ASK YOU TO CHOOSE BETWEEN TWO
CANDIDATES: COLORED PENCILS
AND MARKERS.
WHO IS VOTING
FOR COLORED PENCILS?
OKAY, 10 VOTES
FOR COLORED PENCILS.
WHO IS VOTING FOR MARKERS?
14 FOR MARKERS.
MARKERS HAVE WON
THE POPULAR VOTE.
[CHILDREN WHOOP AND APPLAUD]
AND NOW WE'RE GONNA HAVE
THE REAL ELECTION.
[CHILDREN GROAN]
NATURALLY, THEY WERE
DISAPPOINTED.
THEY THOUGHT WE'D JUST HAD
THE ELECTION.
BUT NOW IT WAS TIME TO WARP
THESE YOUNG MINDS
BY INTRODUCING THEM
TO THE ELECTORAL COLLEGE.
SO WE BROKE THE CLASS
INTO FIVE TABLES, OR STATES.
THE MAJORITY AT EACH TABLE--
EITHER MARKERS OR COLORED
PENCILS-- WOULD GET THE TABLE'S
ONE ELECTORAL VOTE.
OF COURSE IN REAL LIFE, STATES
HAVE VARYING AMOUNTS
OF ELECTORAL VOTES DEPENDING
ON THE POPULATION.
...TABLE ONE'S ELECTOR,
HOW DO YOU CAST YOUR VOTE?
MARKERS.
TABLE TWO'S ELECTOR,
HOW DO YOU CAST YOUR VOTE?
MARKERS.
TABLE THREE'S ELECTOR?
COLORED PENCILS.
IN THE END, THE WHOLE
ELECTION CAME DOWN
TO ONE STATE.
...TABLE FIVE'S ELECTOR, ANGEL,
COME ON DOWN.
THIS IS IT, GUYS.
THIS WILL DECIDE
THE WHOLE THING.
ELECTOR, HOW DO YOU CAST
YOUR VOTE?
COLORED PENCILS.
[SOME CHILDREN CHEER]
Boy: THAT WAS SO CHEATING!
WHAT'S THAT?
THAT WAS SO CHEATING!
EVERYBODY SHOULD THINK IT'S
UNFAIR BECAUSE IT'S NOT JUST
ABOUT THE ELECTORS' VOTES.
IT'S ABOUT EVERYBODY'S VOTES.
AUBREY, YOU ARE A
RABBLE-ROUSER, I MEAN CLEARLY
YOU'RE TRYING TO WHIP THEM UP
INTO A FRENZY.
IT HAS TO BE FAIR FOR
EVERYBODY WHO VOTED FOR MARKERS,
NOT JUST FOR COLORED PENCILS.
IT'S 14 TO 10.
IT SHOULD STAY THAT WAY.
THIS GUY IS A DANGEROUS
REFORMER.
...YOU KNOW IT'S NOT LIKE THIS
HAPPENED IN REAL LIFE.
OH... ACTUALLY, IT DID.
THEY SET UP THIS ELECTORAL
COLLEGE BUSINESS AND SINCE THEN,
NEARLY ONE IN 10 PRESIDENTS TOOK
THE WHITE HOUSE WITHOUT WINNING
THE POPULAR VOTE.
LIKE ME: JOHN QUINCY ADAMS.
I'M RUTHERFORD B. HAYES.
I LOST THE POPULAR VOTE AND
I ALMOST CAUSED A SECOND
CIVIL WAR.
WHOOPS, MY BAD.
BUT, DON'T BLAME ME.
BLAME THE ELECTORAL COLLEGE.
I'M GEORGE W. BUSH AND I LIKE
TO THINK OF MYSELF AS
THE EDUCATION PRESIDENT...
STARTING WITH MY FAVORITE
COLLEGE-- THE ELECTORAL COLLEGE.
HEH-HEH-- THAT'S IN FLORIDA,
RIGHT?
Raskin: THE KEY THING THAT
FRUSTRATES PEOPLE ABOUT THE
ELECTORAL COLLEGE TODAY IS THAT
IT SIDELINES AND MARGINALIZES
TWO-THIRDS TO THREE-QUARTERS
OF THE WHOLE COUNTRY.
MOST OF US LIVE IN RED STATES
OR BLUE STATES.
TAKE OUR FOUR BIGGEST STATES.
THREE OF THEM ARE SAFE STATES.
TEXAS, A RED STATE;
CALIFORNIA, A BLUE STATE;
NEW YORK, A BLUE STATE;
ONLY FLORIDA IS SOMETIMES
A SWING STATE.
THAT MEANS, IN THREE OF OUR FOUR
BIGGEST STATES, THERE'S
NO CAMPAIGNING, THE VOTER
TURNOUT RATE IS LIKE FIVE TO
10 POINTS LOWER THAN IT IS
IN THE SWING STATES,
WHERE ALL THE TV ADS ARE.
WHY SHOULD THE VAST MAJORITY
OF THE PUBLIC HAVE NO REAL ROLE
IN ELECTING THE PRESIDENT?
IT DOESN'T MAKE ANY SENSE.
DOES THIS MAKE ANY SENSE?
A CREAKY ELECTORAL COLLEGE.
A CONSTITUTION THAT DOESN'T
GUARANTEE US THE RIGHT TO VOTE.
AND YET EVERY YEAR,
THERE IS AN ELECTION OF SOME
KIND, SOMEWHERE.
IF I WAS GOING TO UNDERSTAND
HOW VOTING REALLY WORKS IN
AMERICA, I'D NEED TO JUMP
INTO THE THICK OF IT--
IN A SWING STATE, OF COURSE,
SINCE THOSE ARE THE ONES THAT
ACTUALLY DECIDE OUR ELECTIONS.
A PLACE WHERE THE PASSION FOR
POLITICS RUNS DEEP, RIGHT SMACK
IN THE MIDDLE OF AMERICA'S
HEARTLAND.
Kate Smith: ♪ BACK HOME AGAIN
IN INDIANA... ♪
THAT'S RIGHT-- INDIANA,
THE HOOSIER STATE,
HOME TO SOME OF THE TOUGHEST
ELECTION LAWS IN THE COUNTRY.
A SWING STATE FOR THE FIRST
TIME IN DECADES AND RECORD
HOLDER FOR THE CLOSEST
CONGRESSIONAL RACE IN U.S.
HISTORY, "THE BLOODY 8th".
[♪...]
IF I WAS LOOKING FOR THE FRONT
LINES IN THE BATTLE OVER
VOTING, I HAD COME
TO THE RIGHT PLACE.
[♪...]
♪ ...LONG FOR MY INDIANA
HOME! ♪
[SONG ENDS]
Man: I HAVE ONE JOB,
ONE JOB ONLY.
MY JOB IS TO TURN OUT EVERY
DEMOCRAT VOTER AND GET 'EM OUT
TO VOTE.
...UH YES, DID YOU CALL DEMOCRAT
HEADQUARTERS IN JENNINGS COUNTY?
...I'VE BEEN DOING THIS
FOR A LONG, LONG TIME.
...WHAT CAN I DO FOR YOU?
...STARTING OFF BACK WHEN I WAS
A TEENAGER.
SEVENTH GENERATION HERE
IN JENNINGS COUNTY.
FAMILY'S BEEN HERE
FOR A LONG TIME.
VERY STRONG DEMOCRATS.
MIKE MARSHALL, A FORMER STATE
REPRESENTATIVE, ISN'T ONLY
ENTHUSIASTIC,
HE'S ALSO EFFECTIVE.
IN 2004, REPUBLICANS WON EVERY
COUNTY OFFICE EXCEPT ONE.
IN 2006, AFTER MIKE STARTED HIS
GET-OUT-THE-VOTE EFFORT,
DEMOCRATS WON EVERY COUNTY
OFFICE EXCEPT ONE.
IMPRESSIVE BRAGGING RIGHTS
FOR A DYED-IN-THE-WOOL
POLITICAL INSIDER.
[FIFE-AND-DRUM BAND PLAYS...]
SO IS THE REPUBLICAN FLOAT
FIRST AND THEN YOU HAVE
THE REPUBLICANS AFTER?
IS THAT RIGHT?
I BELIEVE SO.
O.K., THAT'LL WORK.
THAT'S GOOD...
ACROSS THE AISLE AND DOWN
THE ROAD IN NEIGHBORING RIPLEY
COUNTY LIVES DEE DEE BENKIE.
HEY, LARRY!
DEE DEE ONCE WORKED AT THE
BUSH WHITE HOUSE WITH KARL ROVE
AND WAS RECENTLY ELECTED TO
THE REPUBLICAN NATIONAL
COMMITTEE.
I FIRST GOT INVOLVED
IN POLITICS WHEN I WAS
IN HIGH SCHOOL.
I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO BE
ACTIVE, YOU KNOW, NOT SOMEONE
TO SIT ON THE SIDELINES.
SOMEONE TO, UH, TRY TO MAKE
A DIFFERENCE, AND I THINK MOST
PEOPLE INVOLVED IN POLITICS...
THEY WANT TO DO THAT.
[DRUMMING...]
Parade announcer: LADIES
AND GENTLEMEN, A BIG ROUND
OF APPLAUSE FOR THE BIG RED,
WHITE AND BLUE!
Benkie: I ENDED UP WORKING
WITH THE BUSH CAMPAIGN BECAUSE
I WAS IN A LEADERSHIP POSITION
WITH YOUNG REPUBLICANS.
OF COURSE, I WAS A VERY
LOW-LEVEL STAFFER BUT PRESIDENT
BUSH COULDN'T HAVE BEEN NICER.
[DRUMMING...]
AFTER I LEFT THE WHITE HOUSE,
I WANTED TO COME BACK HOME
TO INDIANA, BACK TO MY ROOTS AND
REALLY DO A LOT OF ON-THE-GROUND
POLITICAL WORK.
BECAUSE A LOT OF TIMES WHEN
YOU'RE IN WASHINGTON, PEOPLE...
I THINK THEY LOSE TOUCH
WITH, UM, THE REAL WORLD,
AND I JUST WANTED TO GO HOME.
WHILE DEE DEE WORKED THE
CROWD AT THE PARADE, BACK IN
JENNINGS COUNTY, MIKE MARSHALL
FOCUSED ON GETTING OUT
THE VOTE.
I WENT TO HER HOUSE AT 11:00
LAST NIGHT AND I'D BEEN OUT
THERE THREE OTHER DIFFERENT DAYS
BECAUSE WE HAD TO GET HER SIGNED
UP BY THE DEADLINE LAST NIGHT
BY MIDNIGHT.
WE FOUND HER AT HOME AT 11:15;
SHE WAS ASLEEP.
I WOKE HER UP.
WE GOT HER SIGNED UP SO IT
WOULD ARRIVE AT THE ELECTION
OFFICE LAST NIGHT BY FAX BEFORE
THE MIDNIGHT DEADLINE.
[CLAPS]
AND I WAS VERY SATISFIED.
THAT'S A RUSH TO ME.
PART OF MIKE'S EFFECTIVENESS
COMES FROM HIS ABILITY
TO NEGOTIATE INDIANA'S
VOTING STATUTES,
ESPECIALLY SINCE PASSAGE
OF THE STATE'S PHOTO I.D. LAW.
IN THE 2004 ELECTION, INDIANA
WENT VERY REPUBLICAN AND THE
REPUBLICANS HAD CONTROL OF THE
STATE SENATE AND THEY CONTROLLED
THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
IN INDIANAPOLIS AND THEY HAD
A REPUBLICAN GOVERNOR.
AND THEY RAILROADED THIS, UH,
NEW PHOTO I.D. LAW THROUGH.
INDIANA'S PHOTO I.D. LAW,
THE FIRST IN THE NATION,
WAS QUICKLY CHALLENGED AND
EVENTUALLY WOUND UP IN THE U.S.
SUPREME COURT, WHERE IT WAS
RULED CONSTITUTIONAL, EVEN
THOUGH THERE HAD NEVER BEEN AN
INSTANCE OF VOTER IMPERSONATION
IN INDIANA, THE ONLY TYPE OF
VOTER FRAUD THE BILL ADDRESSES.
BUT HEY, YOU NEVER KNOW WHAT
KIND OF CRIMINAL ELEMENT YOU'RE
GONNA FIND AT THE POLLS.
WE WANT TO TELL YOU ABOUT
SOME 80- AND 90-YEAR-OLD NUNS IN
INDIANA AND APPARENTLY THEY HAD
HEARD THE NEW RULES THAT YOU
HAVE TO COME WITH I.D., BUT THEY
SHOWED UP WITH OUTDATED
PASSPORTS AND SUCH AND THEY
THOUGHT THAT THEY COULD STILL
VOTE-- AND YOU KNOW WHAT?
THEY WERE TURNED AWAY.
THEY WERE BARRED FROM VOTING.
THE NUNS WEREN'T ALONE.
ACCORDING TO ONE STUDY,
AN ESTIMATED 13% OF INDIANA'S
REGISTERED VOTERS DON'T HAVE
THE REQUIRED I.D.
THE NUMBERS ARE EVEN HIGHER
AMONG STUDENTS, THE ELDERLY,
AFRICAN-AMERICANS AND LATINOS.
ALL OF THIS CAUSED QUITE
A RUCKUS, SO I SOUGHT OUT
ONE OF THE LAW'S AUTHORS
IN THE INDIANA STATE SENATE.
...DID YOU KNOW HOW
CONTROVERSIAL THE LAW WOULD BE?
HOW MUCH OF A BACKLASH THERE
WOULD BE AGAINST IT?
WELL, I WOULD QUESTION
WHETHER THERE WAS THAT MUCH
OF A BACKLASH AGAINST IT.
WHEN I WENT BACK TO MY DISTRICT
AND TALKED TO MY OWN
CONSTITUENTS, FOR MANY OF THEM
IT SEEMED TO BE A NO-BRAINER.
THEY WERE USED TO SHOWING I.D.
FOR A VARIETY OF COMMON TASKS,
WHETHER IT WAS RENTING A MOVIE
OR, UH... WRITING A CHECK,
SO TO EXTEND THIS TO ENSURE
THE INTEGRITY OF OUR ELECTION
PROCESS FOR THE VAST MAJORITY
OF MY CONSTITUENTS SEEMED LIKE
SOMETHING THAT SHOULD HAVE
BEEN DONE A LONG TIME AGO.
DESPITE THE STATED INTENTIONS
OF THE LAW'S AUTHORS, MANY
CITIZENS-- SOME OF THEM
REGISTERED TO VOTE FOR
DECADES-- SUDDENLY FOUND
THEMSELVES NO LONGER ABLE
TO VOTE.
THEY WANTED TO SEE MY I.D.
AND I SHOWED 'EM MY PICTURE I.D.
AND THEY SAID, "WELL, THAT'S
NOT GOOD BECAUSE IT'S TOO OLD."
SO, UH, I DIDN'T GET TO VOTE.
YOU CAN'T ARGUE WITH 'EM
VERY MUCH.
WHATEVER POLITICS IS IN, THAT'S
THE ONES THAT RUN THE SHOW.
SO-- I MISSED A YEAR. [CHUCKLES]
AND YOU KNOW WHAT?
EVERYBODY IN THAT POLL
KNEW WHO YOU WERE. OH, YEAH.
LIKE YOU NEEDED AN I.D.?
THAT THEY DIDN'T KNOW
WHO YOU WERE?
EVERYBODY KNOWS WHO YOU ARE.
EVEN IN A SMALL TOWN, WHERE
EVERYBODY KNOWS EVERYBODY AND
EVERYBODY'S BUSINESS, NO I.D.
MEANS NO VOTE.
NOT SURPRISINGLY, MORE AND MORE
VOTERS ARE MISSING OUT.
Woman: WE HAVE THE STRICTEST
VOTER I.D. LAW IN THE COUNTRY.
SINCE I'VE BEEN CLERK, WHICH HAS
BEEN SIX YEARS NOW, WE HAVE
TURNED AWAY HUNDREDS OF PEOPLE
WHO HAVE NOT HAD THIS I.D.
THAT THEY NEED.
AND I WILL TELL YOU SOMETHING
ELSE: EVERY SINGLE DAY PEOPLE
WALK UP TO ME AND SAY, "I DON'T
HAVE MY I.D." OR "IT EXPIRED"
OR "MY KIDS TOLD ME I SHOULDN'T
DRIVE ANYMORE" OR "MY PURSE WAS
STOLEN YESTERDAY AND ELECTION
DAY IS TOMORROW.
WHAT CAN I DO?"
THIS IS THE KIND OF THING THAT
TRIPS PEOPLE UP.
IT SHOULD NOT BE SO HARD.
PEOPLE ARE FRUSTRATED.
WE HAVE TERRIBLE VOTING
IN INDIANA.
I KNOW YOU'VE TALKED TO OTHERS
WHO TALK ABOUT HOW WE ARE 48th
OF THE 50 STATES IN PEOPLE
WHO ARE REGISTERED TO VOTE.
IT'S EMBARRASSING.
IT'S SHAMEFUL.
AND PART OF THE REASON, I HEAR
EVERY DAY, "IT'S JUST TOO HARD."
WE'VE DONE EVERYTHING THAT
WE'VE BEEN ASKED TO DO IN TERMS
OF MAKING IT EASIER FOR PEOPLE
TO GET I.D.
THEY CAN GET IT FOR FREE.
WE'VE EXTENDED THE HOURS
AT OUR B.M.V.
WE'VE GIVEN AFFIDAVIT POWER
TO PEOPLE WHO HAVE RELIGIOUS
OBJECTIONS TO HAVING THEIR
PHOTO TAKEN.
WE'VE GIVEN THE RIGHT FOR
THE INDIGENT TO BE WAIVED
FROM GETTING AN I.D.
IT'S, UM, IT'S AN EFFORT, BUT WE
BELIEVE IT'S A MINIMAL AND
REASONABLE EFFORT AND THAT'S
WHAT THE COURTS HAVE FOUND
AS WELL.
WHAT DO YOU SAY TO PEOPLE WHO
SAY, "WHAT'S THE BIG DEAL?
IF YOU DON'T HAVE A DRIVER'S
LICENSE, GO TO THE D.M.V.
AND GET A GOVERNMENT-ISSUED
PHOTO I.D."
WELL, I SAY THAT'S ALL WELL
AND GOOD ON PAPER, BECAUSE THE
STATE DID PASS IN THEIR LAW THAT
IF YOU CANNOT AFFORD A DRIVER'S
LICENSE OR A STATE I.D., YOU CAN
GET ONE FOR FREE, UM,
FOR VOTING PURPOSES.
WHAT THEY DON'T-- WHAT ISN'T
CLEARLY ARTICULATED, THOUGH, IS
THAT IT'S NOT REALLY FREE UNLESS
YOU HAVE A HOST OF DOCUMENTATION
NEEDED TO ACQUIRE THAT.
SAY YOU'RE BORN IN MARION
COUNTY, WHERE INDIANAPOLIS
IS LOCATED.
YOU GO TO THE MARION COUNTY
HEALTH DEPARTMENT,
YOU FILL OUT THIS FORM.
UM, IT'S GOING TO COST YOU
AROUND $12 TO GET YOUR BIRTH
CERTIFICATE.
FOR MOST PEOPLE, $12 IS NOT
A BIG DEAL, BUT WHAT IF IT IS?
THAT'S A FINANCIAL BARRIER.
YOU THEN HAVE TO HAVE THIS FORM
SIGNED BY A NOTARY PUBLIC,
WHICH, AGAIN, IS GOING TO
COST YOU SOMETHING.
YOU GOTTA GO FIND ONE.
YOU GOTTA FIND ONE, YOU GOTTA
PAY FOR A NOTARY PUBLIC, SO,
AGAIN, IS THE I.D. REALLY FREE?
BUT THIS IS KIND OF THE KICKER
HERE: THE NOTARY PUBLIC HAS
TO MARK ONE OF THESE FOUR BOXES,
THAT YOU HAVE BROUGHT IN EITHER
A VALID DRIVER'S LICENSE,
A VALID STATE IDENTIFICATION
CARD, A VALID MILITARY CARD,
OR A VALID PASSPORT.
IF YOU HAD ANY OF THESE
THINGS, YOU WOULDN'T NEED
TO REQUEST YOUR--
YOUR BIRTH CERTIFICATE.
--BIRTH CERTIFICATE.
SO IT'S KIND OF
A CATCH-22? YES.
THE VOTER I.D. LAWS ARE
THE NEW, MODERN-DAY POLL TAX.
THEY'RE NOT PREVENTING FRAUD.
THEY'RE PREVENTING VOTING.
I WOULD MAKE THE I.D.
REQUIREMENT, UM, NO I.D. BECAUSE
WE DON'T NEED IT, BECAUSE
WE DON'T HAVE IMPERSONATION
HAPPENING IN THIS COUNTRY.
RIGHT NOW, WE ACTUALLY HAVE
A FEDERAL LAW THAT REQUIRES WHEN
YOU REGISTER, FOR THE FIRST TIME
THAT YOU VOTE, YOU HAVE
TO PROVIDE SOME KIND
OF IDENTIFICATION, BUT IT'S
MULTIPLE FORMS OF
IDENTIFICATION.
COULD BE YOUR EMPLOYEE I.D.,
IT COULD BE YOUR CREDIT CARD,
IT COULD BE A PAYCHECK, UM,
THAT SHOWS THAT YOU ARE
THE PERSON YOU ARE.
NOW, NO I.D. MAY SOUND
EXTREME, BUT IN FACT, MORE THAN
HALF OUR STATES HAVE NEVER
REQUIRED A PHOTO I.D.
[DOORBELL CHIMES]
I CAUGHT UP WITH DEE DEE AT
HER HOME IN RIPLEY COUNTY,
WHERE SHE AND A GROUP OF HIGH
SCHOOL STUDENTS WERE PREPARING
FOR A SARAH PALIN RALLY.
Benkie: O.K., EVERYBODY.
THIS IS MO ROCCA. HI,
HOW ARE YA? Students: HI!
DEE DEE SUPPORTS
THE PHOTO I.D. LAW.
WHAT ANGERS HER IS AN ITEM
CALLED THE ABSENTEE BALLOT,
A TOOL MIKE MARSHALL DEPENDS
ON, AND ONE THAT REQUIRES
NO PHOTO I.D. AT ALL.
YOU HAVE TO SHOW
YOUR PHOTO I.D. TO VOTE.
WELL, YOU SHOULD.
YOU HAVE TO SHOW YOUR PHOTO I.D.
TO BLOCKBUSTER, YOU KNOW?
I MEAN, O.K.
I MEAN, HOW MANY TIMES DO WE
HAVE TO WHIP OUT THE I.D.?
JUST ABOUT, YOU KNOW, FOR
EVERYTHING, SO THAT'S GOOD, BUT
FOR ABSENTEE BALLOTS THERE'S,
THERE'S SOME WIGGLE ROOM.
THAT'S NOT GOOD.
I THINK IT SHOULD BE
THE SAME LEVEL.
Rocca: SO IT CONCERNS YOU.
IT CONCERNS ME GREATLY.
I THINK IT IS A LONG-TERM
PROBLEM.
I THINK THAT WE NEED TO CHANGE
THE LAW AND MAKE IT JUST AS--
I DON'T WANT TO SAY HARD-- BUT
TO ENSURE THAT WHEN PEOPLE VOTE,
IT IS ACCURATE.
THERE'S JUST SOME FISHY THINGS
GOING ON EVEN... IN THE AREA.
WITH ABSENTEE BALLOTS?
YEAH.
BECAUSE WHEN YOU HAVE SO MANY
ABSENTEE BALLOTS THAT ARE BEING
CAST IN BIG STACKS, PEOPLE ARE
BRINGING THEM IN BIG STACKS...
UH, I DON'T KNOW.
I MEAN, IT AT LEAST GIVES
YOU PAUSE.
DEE DEE WAS CERTAINLY
PASSIONATE ABOUT THE ABSENTEE
BALLOT ISSUE, BUT I WONDERED
IF THE AVERAGE HOOSIER WAS
AS WORRIED AS SHE WAS.
...ARE YOU CONCERNED
ABOUT VOTER FRAUD?
UH... YES.
WHAT KIND?
UH... DEMOCRATS.
SIGNING THESE PEOPLE UP TO
VOTE WHEN THEY AIN'T SUPPOSED
TO VOTE, 73 TIMES FOR ONE GUY.
THAT'S A CROCK OF BULL.
YOU KNOW, THEY'RE SAYING,
PEOPLE, UH... MICKEY MOUSE
IS REGISTERED TO VOTE.
SO, YOU KNOW...
ARE YOU CONCERNED THAT MICKEY
MOUSE WOULD THEN SHOW UP
AT THE POLLS, OR...?
NO, BUT IF SOMEONE HAS AN
ABSENTEE AND... I DON'T KNOW,
IT COULD POSSIBLY HAPPEN.
I COULD SEE THAT IT COULD.
A LOT OF PEOPLE I TALKED
TO IN INDIANA ARE TERRIFIED.
THEY'VE HEARD THAT VOTER FRAUD
IS EVERYWHERE AND THAT THEIR
VOTES MAY NOT END UP COUNTING
AT ALL.
WELL, THAT'S A REAL SHAME
BECAUSE, UM, MOST PEOPLE DON'T
REALIZE THIS, BUT VOTER FRAUD
AND, BY WHICH I MEAN INELIGIBLE
PEOPLE SHOWING UP AT THE POLLS
AND VOTING, IMPERSONATING
ANOTHER VOTER, IS ACTUALLY
EXTRAORDINARILY RARE.
THIS IS SOMETHING THAT ALMOST
NEVER HAPPENS, UM... IT IS...
AMERICANS ARE MORE LIKELY TO
BE STRUCK BY LIGHTNING THAN THEY
ARE TO COMMIT VOTER FRAUD.
IT IS A SERIOUS CRIMINAL PENALTY
TO COMMIT THIS KIND
OF VOTER FRAUD.
IT CARRIES $10,000 IN FINES
AND FIVE YEARS IN PRISON AND
IT'S REASONABLY EASY TO GET
CAUGHT, AND BY CONTRAST, ALL YOU
GAIN IS ONE MARGINAL VOTE.
YOU CAN'T SWING AN ELECTION THAT
WAY AND YOU RISK A WHOLE LOT.
SO, UM, WHAT WOULD BE YOUR
FIRST RECOMMENDATION?
WELL, YOU KNOW, THERE ARE
A NUMBER OF PROBLEMS
WITH THE VOTING SYSTEM.
THE MOST SIGNIFICANT ONE IS
THE VOTER REGISTRATION SYSTEM.
THIS IS THE NUMBER-ONE CAUSE
OF VOTER DISENFRANCHISEMENT AND
IT'S THE NUMBER-ONE SOURCE
OF PRE-ELECTION DISPUTES
WITH POLITICAL PARTIES,
THE NUMBER-ONE AREA WHERE YOU
CAN REALLY MANIPULATE WHO GETS
TO VOTE AND TRY TO KNOCK OFF
THE OTHER SIDE'S VOTERS.
[♪...]
BACK IN INDIANA, DEE DEE AND
MIKE WERE HUSTLING TO GET ANY
UNREGISTERED FOLKS ONTO THE
VOTER ROLLS BEFORE THE STATE'S
DEADLINE, WHICH COMES 29 DAYS
BEFORE THE ELECTION.
RIGHT NEXT DOOR IN OHIO,
CITIZENS CAN REGISTER AND VOTE
ON THE SAME DAY-- A PERFECT
EXAMPLE OF THE EXTREME
INCONSISTENCY AMONG AMERICA'S
13,000 VOTING DISTRICTS.
O.K., WELL,
HERE ARE ABSENTEES.
O.K., AND THEY ARE A PART OF
THIS LITERATURE AND YOU DON'T
HAVE TO LOOK AT THAT IF YOU
DON'T WANT TO-- I MEAN,
IT'S GOOD THOUGH. [CHUCKLES]
TWO HERE, ONE THERE,
ANOTHER HERE.
YOU NEED TO REGISTER TO VOTE,
IS THAT RIGHT?
YES. ALL RIGHT!
COME GET REGISTERED!
Man passing on motorcycle:
OBAMA! OBAMA! WHOO!
HOW YOU DOING, MAN?
FOR MIKE AND THE DEMOCRATS,
GETTING OUT THE
AFRICAN-AMERICAN VOTE IS
AN IMPORTANT STRATEGY.
WE'RE GONNA GET HIM IN,
AREN'T WE?
I HEARD THAT.
WE'RE GONNA WIN INDIANA
FOR HIM, AREN'T WE? YEP!
ESPECIALLY WHEN YOU CONSIDER
THAT A DEMOCRAT HASN'T WON THE
STATE IN A PRESIDENTIAL
ELECTION SINCE L.B.J. IN 1964.
YOU NEED TO REGISTER?
[MIKE AND WOMAN LAUGH]
WE NEED YOUR VOTE FOR OBAMA.
[DOG BARKING]
YOU'RE A SWEET LITTLE PUPPY.
WHOO! THAT'S TAKES A LOT OF--
[♪...]
[SCRAPING BOOTS ON CONCRETE]
ARE YOU REGISTERED TO VOTE,
GIRL? NO.
CAN WE SIGN YOU UP
SO YOU CAN VOTE THIS YEAR?
I THOUGHT CONVICTED FELONS
COULDN'T VOTE.
[TIRES SCREECH]
O.K., HOLD THE PHONE!
PEOPLE WHO HAVE SERVED THEIR
TIME FOR A FELONY CAN'T VOTE?
NO, IN INDIANA YOU CAN.
OH, I CAN?
THE REPUBLICANS TELL
EVERYBODY IF THEY HAVE A FELONY,
THEY CAN'T VOTE, JUST 'CAUSE
THEY DON'T WANT YOU TO,
BUT IN INDIANA YOU CAN.
HERE'S ANOTHER EXAMPLE
OF WHAT MAKES ELECTION LAWS
SO CONFUSING.
IN INDIANA, FORMER FELONS ARE
ALLOWED TO VOTE, BUT DOWN IN
MISSISSIPPI, PEOPLE CONVICTED
OF CERTAIN FELONIES LOSE ALL
VOTING RIGHTS FOR LIFE...
[PRISON DOOR SLAMS]
UNLESS-- AND GET THIS-- THE
GOVERNOR PARDONS THEM OR
THE LEGISLATURE PASSES A
PERSONALIZED BILL RESTORING
THEIR VOTING RIGHTS.
A CANTON MAN CONVICTED
OF VOTER FRAUD IS GIVEN
THE MAXIMUM SENTENCE.
TERRANCE WATTS WILL SERVE
10 YEARS IN PRISON FOR VOTING
ILLEGALLY TWICE.
AFTER SERVING TIME FOR A
FELONY, WATTS-- WHO WAS STILL
ON THE REGISTRATION ROLLS--
BROKE THE LAW BY MERELY VOTING
IN TWO SEPARATE ELECTIONS.
HE'S SCHEDULED FOR RELEASE
IN 2020.
IT'S OUTRAGEOUS.
HERE IT IS, SOMEONE WHO HAS DONE
THEIR TIME, PAID THEIR DEBT
TO SOCIETY.
THEY COME OUT, THEY'RE GETTING
THEIR LIFE TOGETHER AND THEY
ACTUALLY WANT TO PARTICIPATE
IN DEMOCRACY AND THEN THEY FIND
THEMSELVES IN THIS POSITION
PROBABLY BECAUSE THEY GOT
MISINFORMATION ABOUT VOTING AND
THEN GET A 10-YEAR SENTENCE?
IT'S RIDICULOUS.
BUT WE HAVE THESE ARCHAIC LAWS
ON THE ROLLS, WHICH ACTUALLY...
LIKE VIRGINIA AND FLORIDA,
FOR EXAMPLE--
FLORIDA HAS ABOUT 900,000 PEOPLE
WITH FELONY CONVICTIONS
WHO CANNOT VOTE.
WE REALLY NEED TO BE IN A PLACE
WHERE YOU'VE DONE YOUR TIME,
YOU JUST GET YOUR RIGHTS BACK.
Marshall: GET SEVEN BUTTONS,
AND UH... HOW MANY YARD SIGNS
DO YOU GUYS WANT?
24 HOURS BEFORE THE
REGISTRATION DEADLINE AND BOTH
PARTIES ARE STILL AT IT.
ALL THE LEGWORK AND LONG HOURS
SEEM TO BE PAYING OFF: MORE
THAN 740,000 PEOPLE HAVE BEEN
ADDED TO INDIANA'S VOTER ROLLS.
BUT IS THIS PIECEMEAL APPROACH,
REGISTERING ONE NEW VOTER AT
A TIME, REALLY THE BEST WAY?
WE ARE ONE OF THE FEW
INDUSTRIALIZED DEMOCRACIES RIGHT
NOW THAT DOESN'T HAVE A SYSTEM
OF UNIVERSAL VOTER REGISTRATION,
WHERE THE GOVERNMENT
AUTOMATICALLY AND PERMANENTLY
ENSURES THAT EACH ELIGIBLE VOTER
IS ON THE ROLLS.
THERE ARE 50 MILLION AMERICANS
WHO ARE ELIGIBLE VOTERS WHO ARE
NOT ON THE VOTER ROLLS.
WE HAVE NOW A REAL OPPORTUNITY
TO MODERNIZE THE SYSTEM AND
REFORM IT AND TO ACTUALLY
AUTOMATICALLY AND PERMANENTLY
ENSURE THAT ALL ELIGIBLE
CITIZENS ARE ON THE VOTER ROLLS.
VIRTUALLY ALL AMERICANS HAVE
THEIR INFORMATION IN OTHER
GOVERNMENT LISTS: IN DRIVER'S
LICENSE LISTS, IN PUBLIC
ASSISTANCE AGENCY LISTS, IN TAX
LISTS, IN SCHOOL LISTS AND MOST
OF THOSE LISTS HAVE BEEN VERY
WELL VETTED AND VOTERS HAVE
PROVIDED A LOT OF INFORMATION TO
THOSE OTHER GOVERNMENT AGENCIES.
SO THIS IS A VERY SECURE-- MUCH
MORE SECURE THAN OUR CURRENT
SYSTEM-- AND VERY ACCURATE WAY
OF GETTING MANY, MANY MORE
ELIGIBLE VOTERS ON THE ROLLS.
BUT WHILE PEOPLE LIKE WENDY
ARE ADVOCATING FOR GETTING MORE
VOTERS ON THE ROLLS,
OTHERS ARGUE FOR BEING
MORE SELECTIVE.
I'VE SAID, AND CRITICIZED
HEAVILY BECAUSE I SAID THIS,
BUT I BELIEVE THAT THERE SHOULD
BE A CIVICS TEST.
NOW, I KNOW WE CAN'T, I KNOW
THE, UH, VOTER ACT OF '65
CHANGED A LOT OF THINGS,
BUT I DON'T KNOW WHY WE DON'T
EXPECT A CITIZEN OF THIS
COUNTRY, BORN HERE, TO AT LEAST
BE AS INFORMED ABOUT THE
GOVERNMENT THAT HE OR SHE LIVES
UNDER AS WE EXPECT FROM AN
IMMIGRANT WHO COMES HERE,
AND HAS TO TAKE A TEST
IN ORDER TO BECOME A CITIZEN.
AND BELIEVE ME, LOTS OF BROWN
PEOPLE, LOTS OF BLACK PEOPLE,
LOTS OF MINORITIES PASS
THAT TEST. RIGHT.
...TOM TANCREDO'S TEST ISN'T
SO FAR-FETCHED.
UNTIL 1965, DOZENS OF STATES
REQUIRED CERTAIN VOTERS TO PASS
ONE TEST OR ANOTHER.
SO HISTORICALLY, WHO'S HAD THE
RIGHT TO VOTE AND WHO HASN'T?
WELL, WHITE GUYS WROTE THE
RULES, SO INITIALLY THEY WERE
THE ONLY ONES WHO GOT
THE PRIVILEGE.
HEY-HO...!
RICH, LAND-OWNING WHITE GUYS.
OH, MAN!
AFTER A WHILE THEY LET THE
POOR WHITE GUYS VOTE.
YEE-HAW!
AND ODDLY, BLACK GUYS
IN A FEW STATES.
THREE-FIFTHS OF MY BEST
FRIENDS ARE BLACK!
THAT ENDED PRETTY QUICKLY.
EVENTUALLY THE IRISH WERE
ALLOWED TO VOTE, AS WERE SOME
NON-CITIZENS, BUT ONLY IF THEY
WERE WHITE AND AS LONG AS THEY
COULD PAY THE POLL TAX.
A FEW WOMEN COULD VOTE FOR A
LITTLE WHILE UNTIL THEY
STOPPED THAT.
AND BLACK PEOPLE AGAIN ALSO FOR
A LITTLE WHILE UNTIL THEY
STOPPED THAT AGAIN.
WOMEN FINALLY GOT THE RIGHT TO
VOTE IN 1920, BUT THERE WERE
MAJOR ROADBLOCKS FOR AFRICAN
AMERICANS, LIKE LITERACY TESTS.
THE KIND WITH QUESTIONS LIKE,
"HOW MANY BUBBLES ARE IN A
BAR OF SOAP?"
I'M NOT KIDDING.
THAT PLAN WAS SO SUCCESSFUL
THAT ONLY 5% OF MISSISSIPPI'S
ELIGIBLE BLACK VOTERS HAD
MANAGED TO REGISTER AS OF 1960.
FINALLY, IN 1965, L.B.J.
SIGNED THE VOTING RIGHTS ACT--
WIPING OUT LITERACY TESTS.
IT WASN'T UNTIL 1971,
THANKS TO VIETNAM AND THE
DRAFT, THAT WE DECIDED TO LET
18-YEAR-OLDS VOTE.
AND THEN THERE ARE PEOPLE WHO
LIVE IN D.C. WHO DON'T HAVE
FULL VOTING RIGHTS OR
EVEN A SENATOR.
THEY HAVE A REPRESENTATIVE IN
THE HOUSE, EXCEPT SHE DOESN'T
GET TO VOTE.
AND THAT'S WHO GETS TO
VOTE IN AMERICA.
[♪...]
NO MATTER HOW MANY PEOPLE ARE
REGISTERED, THOUGH, NOT ALL
VOTERS ARE CREATED EQUAL.
I SET OUT TO MEET THOSE
EXCLUSIVE FEW WHO ACTUALLY GET
TO CAST THEIR VOTE FOR
PRESIDENT: THE PRESIDENTIAL
ELECTORS.
...WELL, THIS IS IT.
I'VE ARRIVED IN INDIANAPOLIS
AND I'M GOING TO GO MEET MY
FIRST ELECTOR.
...MEET BEN LEATHERBURY--
A FRESHMAN AT THE UNIVERSITY OF
INDIANA AND A DEMOCRATIC
ELECTOR FROM DEE DEE AND MIKE'S
CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT.
BEN'S FATHER WAS AN ELECTOR FOR
JOHN KERRY IN 2004.
THIS TIME AROUND HE'S HANDED
THE JOB OFF TO BEN, AGE 19.
...IT KIND OF KICKS ASS THAT
YOU'RE AN ELECTOR AND YOU'RE 19.
YEAH, I LIKE IT.
I MEAN, I GET TO GO TO THE STATE
CAPITOL AND CAST A HISTORIC VOTE
FOR BARACK OBAMA AND HOPEFULLY
HE'LL BE THE FIRST AFRICAN
AMERICAN PRESIDENT, SO...
AND IT'S AN HONOR FOR ME.
WHAT IF BETWEEN NOVEMBER 4th
AND DECEMBER 15th, BARACK OBAMA
DOES SOMETHING THAT REALLY TICKS
YOU OFF, LIKE SOMETHING CRAZY,
LIKE HE STEALS SOMEONE'S CAR...
O.K.
JUST FOR ARGUMENT'S SAKE?
I COULD VOTE FOR JOHN McCAIN
AND THEN THEY GET MY ELECTORAL
VOTE, BUT IN SOME STATES--
I DON'T KNOW ABOUT INDIANA--
YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO SIGN AN OATH
AND SAYING THAT YOU WOULD VOTE
FOR THE PERSON YOU DO,
BUT THERE'S NO LAW AGAINST IT,
SO... YOU MIGHT HAVE TO PAY,
LIKE, A PENALTY.
I'M NOT SURE HOW THAT WORKS.
SO, UM...
WHAT QUALIFICATIONS DOES
SOMEBODY HAVE TO HAVE TO BECOME
AN ELECTOR?
THERE'S NOT REALLY ANY
QUALIFICATIONS, IT'S MORE OF
WHAT YOU CAN'T DO.
YOU CAN'T REBEL AGAINST THE
GOVERNMENT.
IF YOU'VE DONE THAT BEFORE,
THAT'S, THEY DON'T WANT YOU TO
BECOME AN ELECTOR--
HAVE YOU DONE THAT?
NO, I HAVEN'T.
HAVE YOU COME CLOSE?
NOT TOO CLOSE.
AND THEN, UM, ANOTHER THING IS
THEY DON'T WANT YOU TO HAVE
A HIGH OFFICE IN STATE POLITICS,
I THINK THAT'S ABOUT IT.
SO, I HOPE YOU LEARNED A LITTLE
BIT MORE ABOUT THE
ELECTORAL COLLEGE.
I THINK I DID AND THIS
COLLEGE IS NOT TOO BAD EITHER.
YEAH, IT'S ALL RIGHT.
WELL, TAKE CARE.
ALL RIGHT, SEE YA LATER.
[DOORBELL DINGS]
HELLO.
HI, UM, I UNDERSTAND THAT A
PRESIDENTIAL ELECTOR LIVES HERE.
UH, THAT'S ME.
I'M DAVID BUSKILL.
OH, GREAT, I'M MO ROCCA.
HI, NICE TO MEET YOU!
BEN'S REPUBLICAN COUNTERPART,
DAVID BUSKILL, ALSO GREW UP
AROUND POLITICS.
HE'S STAYED INVOLVED AS A
CONGRESSIONAL STAFFER,
AMONG OTHER POSITIONS.
I GUESS MY FIRST QUESTION IS,
WHAT'S IT LIKE TO BE A
PRESIDENTIAL ELECTOR?
IT'S PRETTY-- I MEAN,
IT'S SOMETHING THAT I'VE ALWAYS
ACTUALLY WANTED TO DO WHEN I
LEARNED ABOUT WHAT AN
ELECTOR WAS.
I WAS PROBABLY 9, 10.
I GUESS THAT'S AROUND 6th GRADE,
AND UH, HOW I BECAME AN ELECTOR,
I JUST KIND OF ASKED ABOUT IT.
SO, ALL YOU HAD TO DO WAS
ASK? THAT'S BASICALLY HOW
I BECAME-- I KNOW IT MAY BE A
DIFFERENT PROCESS FOR EVERYBODY
ELSE, BUT I JUST ASKED.
DO YOU FEEL A LITTLE BIT
CLOSER TO THE SEAT OF POWER
HAVING SIRED SOMEBODY WHO
ACTUALLY GETS TO VOTE
FOR PRESIDENT?
IT'S BEEN EXCITING BEING--
WELL, DAVID AND BEN WERE
READY, WILLING AND ABLE TO CAST
THEIR ALL-IMPORTANT VOTES.
BUT BEFORE THE ELECTORS REPORT
FOR DUTY, YOU AND I HAVE TO
CAST OUR BALLOTS.
IT'S A COMPLICATED PROCESS.
DIRECTING THE OPERATION IN
RIPLEY COUNTY IS REPUBLICAN
GINGER BRADFORD.
LIKE ALL COUNTY CLERKS IN
INDIANA, SHE RUNS THE SHOW.
HOW DO YOU DO?
I'M FINE, THANK YOU.
YOU'RE THE WOMAN WHO MAKES IT
ALL HAPPEN HERE.
I TRY, YES.
WHAT IS SHE DOING?
SHE'S DOING ABSENTEE VOTING.
THIS WONDERFUL LADY,
ROSALIND McKITTRICK, HAS VOTED
AND NOW SHE'S BRINGING HER
BALLOT BACK IN HERE AND
SHE'S PROCESSING IT.
NOW, WAIT A MINUTE, DID SHE
SHOW AN I.D.?
YES, SHE DID.
SHE SHOWED HER I.D.
WHEN SHE CAME IN.
IN CASE YOU'RE WONDERING,
ABSENTEE VOTERS DO HAVE TO SHOW
I.D. IF THEY TURN IN THEIR
BALLOT IN PERSON.
IF THEY MAIL IT IN,
THEN THEY DON'T.
YEAH, I KNOW IT DOESN'T
MAKE SENSE.
NOW WHEN SHE GETS DONE HERE,
THEY'LL PUT THIS IN.
WE HAVE A BLACK BOX SITTING OVER
HERE AND IT WILL GO IN THIS
BLACK BOX.
AND THIS BOX IS UNDER LOCK
AND KEY-- SEE?
OH, I WANTED TO PUT IT IN.
[LAUGHS] NO, YOU
CAN'T TOUCH IT.
SHE WAS APPOINTED BY THE COUNTY
CHAIRMAN FOR THE DEMOCRATS AND
THIS WOMAN WAS APPOINTED BY THE
COUNTY CHAIRMAN OF THE
REPUBLICAN PARTY.
Rocca: SHE'S A DEMOCRAT.
IF IT TURNED OUT THAT YOU KNEW
THAT ALL OF THESE PEOPLE WERE
REPUBLICANS AND YOU GO DOWN TO
THE POST OFFICE TOGETHER AND SHE
SAYS, "WAIT A MINUTE, I GOTTA GO
USE THE LADIES' ROOM."
YOU COULD JUST GO [WHOOSH]
AND PUT THEM IN THE TRASH CAN.
OH NO, I'D GET PUT IN JAIL.
WHAT'S THAT?
SHE'D BE PUT IN JAIL.
OH, YOU'D BE PUT IN JAIL.
NO, THAT'S WHY WE GO
TOGETHER.
SO YOU STAY TOGETHER.
SO IT KEEPS YOU, IT'S LIKE A
BUDDY SYSTEM BUT IT'S ALSO,
LIKE, TO KEEP EACH OTHER HONEST.
...I DOUBTED THAT ANY OF THESE
NICE WOMEN HAD EVER EVEN STOLEN
A RECIPE, BUT I WAS IMPRESSED
WITH THEIR SECURITY.
NOW, WE'VE GOT A DEMOCRAT
LOCK ON ONE SIDE AND A
REPUBLICAN LOCK ON THE
OTHER SIDE.
THE WHOLE PROCESS IS
PRETTY COMPLEX.
AND THIS IS JUST ONE SMALL
OFFICE IN ONE SMALL COUNTY.
MULTIPLY IT BY 13,000 SIMILAR
OPERATIONS AND YOU HAVE AN IDEA
OF THE MASSIVE EFFORT IT TAKES
TO CAST AND COUNT BALLOTS
ACROSS THE UNITED STATES.
LATER THAT DAY, I HEADED OVER
TO THE COURTHOUSE WHERE GINGER
WAS GIVING A TRAINING CLASS FOR
POLL WORKERS.
WE'RE GOING TO SHOW YOU HOW
TO HANDLE AN IRATE VOTER WHO
WANTS TO VOTE WHO DOESN'T HAVE
THE RIGHT CREDENTIALS.
CAN I HAVE A VOLUNTEER?
OH GEE, MO, YOU WOULD BE GREAT.
[LAUGHTER]
NOW, MO, YOU'RE GONNA COME DOWN
HERE AND YOU'RE GONNA TRY
AND VOTE.
HI, I'M HERE TO VOTE.
ALL RIGHT, I NEED TO SEE YOUR
DRIVER'S LICENSE.
OH, UH... OH, NO, I DON'T
HAVE IT, NO.
WE NEED A DRIVER'S LICENSE.
OH, I'VE VOTED HERE
12 TIMES BEFORE.
WE STILL NEED THAT
DRIVER'S LICENSE.
I VOTED, UM, IN 1948 HERE
FOR PRESIDENT.
I STILL NEED THAT
DRIVER'S LICENSE.
UH, WELL, ALL RIGHT, LET ME,
UH, OH, WELL, HERE'S A
CREDIT CARD.
NO.
IT'S NOT WORKING.
O.K., WELL, THEN I'LL SHOW
YOU MY, UH, SOCIAL SECURITY
CARD.
NO, IT NEEDS TO HAVE A
PICTURE ON IT.
WELL, I MEAN, YOU KNOW THAT
I'M ME.
I MEAN, COME ON, DON'T YOU
REMEMBER?
SADIE HAWKINS DANCE,
YOU ASKED ME!
NO, I DON'T.
WELL, THIS IS PREPOSTEROUS.
I MEAN, WHAT ABOUT MY, I HAVE A
RIGHT TO VOTE.
IF YOU DON'T HAVE THAT
DRIVER'S LICENSE, I CAN GIVE YOU
A FORM AND YOU CAN GO TO THE
LICENSE BRANCH AND YOU CAN GET
A B.M.V. FREE I.D.
WELL, I MEAN, SO I HAVE TO
DRIVE DOWN THERE? YEAH.
BUT I'VE BEEN DRINKING!
[LAUGHTER]
SORRY.
WHAT ABOUT THIS? NO.
[LAUGHTER]
SORRY, BUT NICE PICTURE.
WOULD YOU LET ME VOTE IF I
SHOWED YOU THIS?
NO.
SEE?
IN THERE IT SAYS MO IS MY FIRST
NAME AND ROCCA.
Woman: O.K.
SO NOW CAN I VOTE?
I DON'T THINK SO.
I'D HAVE TO TALK TO THE
INSPECTOR AND LET HER MAKE
THAT DECISION.
SO THE INSPECTOR WOULD
BE HERE. RIGHT HERE.
OH, YOU'RE THE INSPECTOR,
WHAT DO YOU SAY?
NO. WHY?
I'M SORRY.
YOU DON'T LIKE THE PICTURE?
NO, IT'S A GREAT PICTURE,
BUT WE HAVE TO FOLLOW OUR RULES.
WELL, AT LEAST THEY SEEMED
APPRECIATIVE OF MY AMTRAK
MAGAZINE PHOTO SPREAD.
BUT LET'S SAY I DID HAVE MY
PICTURE I.D. WITH ME,
ALL SYSTEMS GO?
Woman: SIR, YOU ARE NOT ON
OUR RECORDS.
I'M SORRY, BUT THE ONLY WAY THAT
YOU CAN VOTE IS IF YOU VOTE A
PROVISIONAL BALLOT AND I MUST
TELL YOU THAT IF YOU DO, IT MAY
NOT BE COUNTED.
AY YI YI.
BECAUSE MY ELIGIBILITY HAD BEEN
QUESTIONED, I WAS ONLY ABLE TO
VOTE WITH A PROVISIONAL BALLOT,
BUT HERE'S THE CATCH:
NO PROVISIONAL BALLOTS ARE
RECORDED ON ELECTION DAY;
MANY ARE NEVER RECORDED AT ALL.
♪ WHEN I DREAM ABOUT
THE MOONLIGHT ON THE WABASH ♪
♪ THEN I LONG FOR
MY INDIANA HOME. ♪
SIR, THIS IS A PIECE OF PAPER
FOR DOCUMENTATION TO GET TO THE
COURTHOUSE BY 6 P.M. TODAY.
AM I BEING ARRESTED?
NO, THIS IS AN ORDER FOR YOUR
BALLOT TO BE COUNTED, IF THEY
DECIDE TO COUNT IT, AND
HERE'S YOUR DRIVER'S LICENSE,
AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR PATIENCE.
Ginger: EXCUSE ME, SIR?
YES? HAVE YOU BEEN
DRINKING? I, UH--
I'M SORRY BUT YOU CANNOT
ENTER OUR POLLS DRINKING.
YOU ARE UNDER ARREST.
IS THAT RIGHT? IS THAT TRUE?
THAT THAT WOULD HAPPEN?
YES, IT WOULD.
[APPLAUSE]
DESPITE THE FACT THAT GINGER
IS AN ELECTED OFFICIAL WITH
PARTY AFFILIATION, IT'S HARD TO
IMAGINE PARTISAN POLITICS
INFLUENCING AN ELECTION
IN HER COUNTY.
BUT AS A STATE, INDIANA CAN LAY
CLAIM TO ONE OF HISTORY'S MOST
BITTERLY CONTESTED
CONGRESSIONAL RACES,
IN A DISTRICT KNOWN
AS "THE BLOODY 8th."
YOU ARE A MEMBER OF THE
CONGRESS OF THE UNITED STATES.
[APPLAUSE, CHEERING]
A 1984 RACE IN THE BLOODY 8th
WAS SO CLOSE, CONGRESS STEPPED
IN TO DECIDE IT-- A CONGRESS
CONTROLLED BY DEMOCRATS.
I WON-- I CAN LOOK
ANYBODY IN THE EYE AND
SHOW THEM THAT I WON.
Newscaster: ON ELECTION NIGHT
DEMOCRAT McCLOSKEY LED
BY 72 VOTES.
AFTER A STATE RECOUNT,
REPUBLICAN RICK McINTYRE WAS
CERTIFIED THE WINNER BY
418 VOTES.
BUT BECAUSE OF DISPUTES OVER
BALLOTS, HOUSE DEMOCRATS ORDERED
A FEDERAL RECOUNT SUPERVISED
BY DEMOCRATS.
IT TURNED THE REPUBLICAN LEAD
INTO A FOUR-VOTE DEMOCRATIC WIN.
HOUSE REPUBLICANS ACCUSED THE
DEMOCRATS OF STEALING THE
ELECTION AND WORSE.
THEN, ALMOST ALL 182 REPUBLICANS
MARCHED OFF THE HOUSE FLOOR
AND OUTSIDE.
THE WALKOUT WAS UNPRECEDENTED.
WE ARE ALL SO FRUSTRATED BY
DEALING WITH AN ESSENTIALLY
CORRUPT AND TYRANNICAL MAJORITY,
A GROUP THAT HAS BROKEN INDIANA
LAW, THAT HAS, IN OUR JUDGMENT,
VIOLATED THE CONSTITUTION AND
THAT NOW USES ITS NUMBERS TO
STEAL A SEAT IN THE HOUSE,
THAT ALMOST ANYTHING
IS POSSIBLE.
THEN, OF COURSE, ANYTHING AND
EVERYTHING POSSIBLE DID HAPPEN
IN 2000.
IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE LAWS
IN THE STATE OF FLORIDA,
I HEREBY DECLARE GOVERNOR
GEORGE W. BUSH THE WINNER OF
FLORIDA'S 25 ELECTORAL VOTES
FOR THE PRESIDENT OF THE
UNITED STATES.
YOU KNOW, WHAT TOOK PLACE IN
2000 IN FLORIDA WAS A PERFECT
STORM OF EVERYTHING
DYSFUNCTIONAL ABOUT OUR
ELECTORAL SYSTEM.
Crowd: GET OUT OF
CHENEY'S HOUSE!
GET OUT OF CHENEY'S HOUSE!
Raskin: FOR PEOPLE WHO LIVED
THROUGH IT, THIS WAS LIKE,
YOU KNOW, BLEEDING KANSAS
OR THE BATTLE OF GETTYSBURG OR
SOMETHING-- I MEAN, THIS WAS A
TRAUMATIC MOMENT IN THE HISTORY
OF MODERN POLITICAL DEMOCRACY.
IT ALL STARTED REALLY WITH A
SERIES OF VERY RESTRICTIVE
ELECTION RULES AND PRACTICES
THAT WERE ENGINEERED BY THE
SECRETARY OF STATE OF FLORIDA,
KATHERINE HARRIS,
WHO MOONLIGHTED AS THE, UH,
CHAIR OF THE BUSH FOR PRESIDENT
CAMPAIGN IN FLORIDA.
HARRIS ORDERED A PRIVATE
CONTRACTOR THAT WAS PAID MORE
THAN A MILLION DOLLARS TO PURGE
THE VOTING LISTS OF
CONVICTED FELONS.
AND SO, THEY GOT BACK A MEMO,
WHICH SURFACED AFTER THE WHOLE
ELECTION WAS OVER, UH, SAYING TO
SECRETARY OF STATE HARRIS,
"WE'RE NOT POSITIVE ABOUT SOME
OF THESE NAMES," WHICH WERE IN
OVERWHELMINGLY AFRICAN-AMERICAN
COMMUNITIES, UH, "WHAT SHOULD
WE DO?"
AND SHE SAID, "CAST A WIDE NET."
IT WAS DETERMINED LATER THAT
THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE WERE FALSELY
DISENFRANCHISED BECAUSE THEIR
NAMES RESEMBLED THOSE OF
CONVICTED FELONS.
Crowd: STOP THE COUNT!
STOP THE FRAUD!
STOP THE COUNT!
STOP THE FRAUD!
STOP THE COUNT!
STOP THE FRAUD!
Raskin: THEN THERE WERE A
WHOLE SERIES OF SCANDALS AND
MISHAPS RELATING TO THE COUNTING
OF THE BALLOTS.
THERE WAS A BLIZZARD OF
LAWSUITS, AS YOU CAN IMAGINE,
AND FOR THE FIRST TIME IN
AMERICAN HISTORY, THE SUPREME
COURT STEPPED INTO A STATE,
OVERRODE THE STATE SUPREME
COURT'S INTERPRETATION OF ITS
OWN LAWS TO SAY THAT IT MIGHT
VIOLATE EQUAL PROTECTION TO
COUNT PEOPLE'S BALLOTS.
AND SO, RATHER THAN HAVING,
YOU KNOW, THE PRESIDENT NAME
SUPREME COURT JUSTICES, HERE
WE HAD THE SUPREME COURT
JUSTICES EFFECTIVELY NAME THE
PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES.
Woman: PEOPLE SAY THAT THAT
DECISION WAS NOT BASED ON
JUDICIAL PHILOSOPHY,
BUT ON POLITICS.
I SAY, NONSENSE.
WAS IT POLITICAL?
GEE, I REALLY DON'T WANNA GET
INTO-- I MEAN THIS IS-- GET
OVER IT! IT'S SO OLD BY NOW.
BUT IT WAS, IT ENDED UP BEING
A POLITICAL DECISION.
IT WAS AL GORE WHO MADE IT
A JUDICIAL QUESTION.
IT WAS HE WHO BROUGHT IT INTO
THE FLORIDA COURTS; WE DIDN'T
GO LOOKING FOR TROUBLE.
[♪...]
Robbie Fulks: ♪ I'M GOING
BACK TO INDIANA ♪
♪ BACK TO WHERE
I STARTED FROM ♪
♪ I'M GOING BACK TO INDIANA
♪ INDIANA, HERE I COME...
[YODELING]
IT'S NINE DAYS BEFORE THE
ELECTION AND THE DEMOCRATS
ARE UNDER FIRE.
JUST SIT RIGHT HERE.
THE REPUBLICAN 9th DISTRICT
CHAIRMAN HAS ASKED THE JENNINGS
COUNTY CLERK AND ELECTION BOARD
FOR COPIES OF ALL ABSENTEE
BALLOT APPLICATIONS FOR THE
UPCOMING VOTE.
AND THEY WANT THEM BEFORE
ELECTION DAY.
"ACCORDING TO THE STATUTE,
YOU HAVE 24 HOURS TO RESPOND
TO THIS REQUEST.
DUE TO THE NATURE OF THIS
REQUEST AND THE PENDING DATE FOR
THE ELECTION, I WOULD ASK THAT
YOU ASSIST ME IN HANDLING THIS
REQUEST IN AN
EXPEDITIOUS MANNER.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR ASSISTANCE ON
THIS MATTER."
LARRY SHICKLES, DISTRICT--
REPUBLICAN 9th DISTRICT
CHAIRMAN.
THE GROUP BELIEVES THE
REQUEST IS BEING MADE SO THAT
DEMOCRATIC VOTES CAN BE
ELIMINATED BASED ON SIGNATURE
IRREGULARITIES.
IT'S THE APPLICANT'S
SIGNATURE.
THEY'RE GONNA GO TO THAT
89-YEAR-OLD VOTER, WHATEVER,
AND THEY'RE GONNA ASK FOR A
SAMPLE SIGNATURE.
I DON'T SIGN MY NAME THE SAME
WAY I DID WHEN I REGISTERED
TO VOTE.
I TOTALLY SIGN IT DIFFERENTLY.
AND THEY WANT TO QUESTION IT,
THEY WANT-- THEY WANT TO
COMPARE, CHALLENGE IT.
THE SIGNATURES.
Woman: THEIR GOAL, IN MY
OPINION, IS TO GET THEM ALL IN
THE PROVISIONAL BALLOT.
Marshall: THAT'S RIGHT.
WE CANNOT LET THAT HAPPEN.
WHAT THEY CAN'T STAND IS THAT
WE, WE HAVE OUTWORKED 'EM.
WE HAVE THREE TO FOUR TO ONE,
ABSENTEE BALLOTS FOR EVERY
REPUBLICAN ABSENTEE BALLOT.
WE HAVE THREE TO FOUR TO ONE.
THEY DON'T WANT THESE VOTES
COUNTED, THAT'S THE BOTTOM LINE.
AND WE WORK REALLY HARD TO GET
PEOPLE TO VOTE AND THEY'RE
WORKING HARD TO MAKE SURE THOSE
VOTES DON'T COUNT.
Marshall: IT'S GONNA GET
NASTY-- GETTING REAL NASTY.
...WHAT'S CRITICAL ABOUT THIS,
OF THEM WANTING COPIES OF THE
APPLICATIONS IS IF THEY WANT
COPIES, THEY GOT TO PRINT THOSE
COPIES, RUN THEM THROUGH
MACHINES, HANDLE THEM.
IF THEY MESS ANYTHING UP...
WITH THE APPLICATION, THEN IT
WILL NOT, IT WILL INVALIDATE
THE BALLOT.
EVERY VOTE IS GONNA COUNT HERE.
THIS ISN'T FLORIDA.
THIS AIN'T THE SUNSHINE STATE.
THIS IS INDIANA AND HOOSIER
VALUES ARE GOING TO WORK RIGHT
HERE BECAUSE THAT DOG DOES HUNT.
I CAN TELL YOU THAT RIGHT NOW.
Robbie Fulks: ♪ I'M GOING
BACK TO INDIANA ♪
♪ INDIANA, HERE I COME
♪ I'M GOING BACK TO INDIANA
'CAUSE THAT IS WHERE
MY BABY'S FROM... ♪
IT'S OCTOBER 31st, HALLOWEEN.
THE COURTHOUSE GROUNDS WERE...
"DECORATED" BY PRANKSTERS
THE NIGHT BEFORE.
TODAY A JUDGE WILL HEAR FROM
BOTH SIDES OF THE BALLOT
DISPUTE AND AT LEAST ONE TEAM
IS FEELING PRETTY CONFIDENT.
Man: WELL, WE CERTAINLY
EXPECT IT'S GOING TO GO OUR WAY.
IT'S A VERY STRAIGHTFORWARD
STATUTORY ISSUE AND I THINK THAT
THE INTENT OF THE INDIANA
LEGISLATURE IN DRAFTING THIS
PUBLIC RECORDS LAW WAS TO ALLOW
PEOPLE TO HAVE ACCESS TO SEE
WHAT THEIR GOVERNMENT'S DOING,
AND IF THEY CAN'T DO THAT BEFORE
A FREE ELECTION, THEN WHEN CAN
THEY HAVE IT?
SO WE FEEL PRETTY GOOD ABOUT IT.
THIS IS THE BIGGEST SCAM FROM
THE REPUBLICAN PARTY, COMING IN
HERE FROM THE 9th DISTRICT
CHAIRMAN, COMING IN
JENNINGS COUNTY.
THE LOCAL REPUBLICANS, I CAN
TELL YOU RIGHT NOW, IN THIS
COUNTY, I CAN TELL YOU,
THEY DO NOT AGREE.
THEY DO NOT AGREE WITH THIS,
THIS GOING ON.
IT'S JUST A SIMPLE LITTLE THING:
THEY DON'T WANT TO PUT THEM
BALLOTS THROUGH THAT MACHINE
ON ELECTION DAY.
THE DEMOCRAT BALLOTS.
THAT'S WHAT THIS IS ABOUT.
MR. SHICKLES.
MR. MARSHALL OBVIOUSLY WAS A
LITTLE EMOTIONAL IN HIS
DESCRIPTION THAT THE INTEGRITY
OF THE ELECTION BOARD AND THE
CLERK WAS BEING QUESTIONED,
AND THAT IS NOT THE CASE AT ALL.
WHAT WE'RE LITERALLY QUESTIONING
TODAY WAS THE LAW SAYS WE HAVE
A RIGHT TO THOSE RECORDS.
WE WOULD LIKE TO SEE
THE RECORDS.
WITH ONLY FOUR DAYS TO GO
BEFORE THE ELECTION, THE JUDGE
WILL HAVE TO COME UP WITH A
DECISION PRETTY QUICKLY.
Man: PAID FOR BY THE LOCAL
DEMOCRATIC PARTY.
BECAUSE THE DAIRY COWS JUST
WON'T MILK RIGHT.
[MOOING]
A BREAK FROM THE TENSIONS OF
THE LAWSUIT COMES WHEN CLAYTON
AND MIKE RECORD A RADIO AD
SKEWERING THE GOVERNOR,
MITCH DANIELS.
HEY, DEMOCRAT.
HEY, INDEPENDENT.
DID YOU HEAR DAYLIGHT SAVINGS
TIME COMING THIS SATURDAY?
YES, SIR.
GOT TO CHANGE THE CLOCKS
AT 2 A.M. SUNDAY.
WELL, IF YOU FORGET, GONNA BE
LATE FOR CHURCH.
GONNA BE LATE FOR WORK,
KIDS GONNA BE LATE TO SCHOOL,
GONNA BE LATE FOR DINNER AT
GRANDMA'S HOUSE AFTER CHURCH.
COWS JUST WON'T MILK RIGHT.
I'LL TELL YOU ONE PLACE I
WON'T BE LATE TO: THE POLLS
ON TUESDAY.
HELL, YEAH!
I'M GONNA DITCH MITCH!
[ON RADIO]: He did that
Daylight Savings Time to us.
Made us change our clocks.
I'm gonna turn Ditch Mitch's
clock back on Tuesday
at the polls.
Clocks going back or
forwards?
Hell if I know.
Put us on the same time as
New York City, he said, to help
the Indiana economy.
New York City?
You with me, Independent?
Yessir! YESSIR!
Paid for by the local
Democratic Party.
Because the dairy cows...
Both: JUST WON'T MILK RIGHT.
[BOTH MOO, LAUGH]
I THINK THIS IS GOING TO
BE A GOOD ELECTION DAY.
WE'RE GONNA TURN THEM
DAMN DEMOCRATS OUT. OH, YEAH.
MM-HMM.
WELL, I DON'T KNOW, MOM,
WHAT DO YOU THINK?
YOU THINK McCAIN'S GONNA
PULL IT OFF?
WELL, WE HAVEN'T GIVEN UP.
OH, NO.
NEVER GIVE UP.
WELL, I JUST CAN'T BELIEVE THAT
SENATOR McCAIN WILL BE IN
INDIANA THE DAY BEFORE
THE ELECTION.
I CANNOT BELIEVE IT.
WHAT I WORRY ABOUT ARE THE
ABSENTEE VOTES THAT ARE
NOT LEGITIMATE.
THAT IS WHAT I WORRY ABOUT.
I JUST HOPE THAT DOESN'T MAKE
A DIFFERENCE.
IT REMINDS ME OF WHEN I WAS
GROWING UP AND PEOPLE SELLING
THEIR VOTES.
WHAT DO YOU MEAN?
THAT'S BEEN A LONG TIME AGO.
WHAT WOULD HAPPEN?
WELL, THERE WOULD BE PEOPLE
THAT WOULD TARGET FAMILIES THAT
NEEDED MONEY AND-- THE POOR
FAMILIES-- AND THEY WOULD GIVE
'EM WHATEVER THEY WOULD ACCEPT,
$10, $20, AND THEY WOULD BRING
THEIR BALLOTS OUT AND TO THE
PERSON THAT BOUGHT, YOU KNOW,
PAID THEM FOR THEIR VOTE.
I'VE ALWAYS HEARD THOSE
STORIES, BUT I JUST WANT
IT FAIR.
I JUST WANT THE PERSON WHO GETS
THE MOST VOTES LEGITIMATELY
TO WIN-- I DO.
I JUST DON'T WANT ANY CHEATING
GOING ON, BECAUSE THAT WOULD
JUST BE TERRIBLE.
THE VOTER FRAUD IS WHAT'S
WORRYING ME.
Man: I DON'T KNOW.
KEEP YOUR FINGERS CROSSED.
OH, I'M PRAYING.
ANYTHING COULD HAPPEN.
PRAYING AND FINGERS CROSSED
AND RABBIT'S FOOT OR WHATEVER
IT TAKES.
FOR THE LAST FEW DAYS,
MIKE HAS ALSO BEEN KEEPING HIS
FINGERS CROSSED.
TODAY HE GETS NEWS ABOUT THE
ABSENTEE BALLOT LAWSUIT.
I'M OUT HERE AT TEA CREEK
BAPTIST CHURCH.
NOW GO AHEAD, TELL ME AGAIN,
START FROM THE BEGINNING.
Man: Ronnie Bloemer called
me and said that he had gotten
a call from the judge;
the plaintiff's petition
is denied.
That's what he said.
OH! [CHUCKLES]
SO CAN THEY APPEAL THAT,
OR CAN THEY--
Oh, sure.
Sure they can appeal it and
then, you know, they probably
will try and do that
tomorrow morning.
But the judge has ruled that it
was frivolous and they shall pay
defendants' attorney fees.
[LAUGHS]
There you go.
All right, listen,
I'll talk to you later.
ALL RIGHT, THANKS, MAN.
THANKS, BYE.
OH, MY GOD.
[PHONE BEEPS]
[CHUCKLES]
Woman: GENERAL ADMISSION
TO YOUR LEFT!
["EYE OF THE TIGER" PLAYING
ON LOUDSPEAKERS...]
[CROWD CHEERS, APPLAUDS]
[SONG CONTINUES]
McCain: INDIANA IS NOW A
BATTLEGROUND STATE, BUT IT'S A
BATTLE THAT WE'RE GONNA WIN!
WE'RE GONNA WIN THE BATTLE
IN INDIANA!
[CROWD CHEERS, APPLAUDS]
NOW, I'M ASKING YOU, IN THE NEXT
24 HOURS, VOLUNTEER, KNOCK ON
DOORS, GET YOUR NEIGHBORS
TO THE POLLS.
I NEED YOUR VOTE!
[CROWD CHEERS, APPLAUDS]
OH, THE RALLY WAS FABULOUS.
EVERYBODY WAS CHARGED UP AND I
THINK WHAT SENATOR McCAIN SAID
WAS PERFECT.
INDIANA, YOU KNOW, HAS BECOME A
BATTLEGROUND STATE BUT WE ARE
GONNA WIN THE BATTLE.
[CRICKETS CHIRPING...]
FINALLY, THE SUN SETS ON THE
MONTHS OF DOGGED LEGWORK,
SKIRMISHES AND SLEEPLESS
NIGHTS.
AND THEN, ELECTION DAY.
AT THE RIPLEY COUNTY
COURTHOUSE, GINGER BRADFORD,
THE COUNTY CLERK,
OPENS HER OFFICE.
THIS IS THE KEYS TO UNLOCK
THE, UH, YOUR BOXES OVER THERE
WITH THE ABSENTEE BALLOTS IN IT.
THERE IT IS.
SO WE'VE GOT... TWO...
LIKE A STAR WITNESS IN A MOB
TRIAL, THE BALLOTS ARE BROUGHT
OUT UNDER COVER OF DARKNESS.
THERE YOU GO.
O.K., I'LL SEE YOU IN
A LITTLE BIT.
ALL RIGHT.
Marshall: YEAH, WE WERE OUT
ALL NIGHT.
WE PUT UP A TON OF SIGNS.
I JUST STOPPED AT HOME TO CHANGE
CLOTHES AND BRUSH MY TEETH,
PUT SOME DEODORANT ON.
I SENT CLAYTON AND CAT BACK OUT.
THEY'RE OUT RIGHT NOW.
THE ABSENTEE BALLOTS ARRIVE
AT THE POLLING CENTER FOR
PROCESSING.
THE PRECINCT CAPTAIN BRINGS
THEM IN AND CONFIRMS THEY HAVE
THE SAME NUMBER THAT THE
CLERK'S OFFICE HAS ON RECORD.
THEN OUT COMES THE TOUCHSCREEN
VOTING MACHINE.
ELECTRONIC MACHINES LIKE THIS
WILL BE USED TODAY BY ALMOST
ONE-THIRD OF ALL AMERICAN
VOTERS.
...FOR AT LEAST A SHORT TIME
AFTER THE 2000 ELECTION MESS
IN PALM BEACH COUNTY,
ELECTRONIC VOTING WAS SEEN AS
THE SOLUTION.
DID IT LIVE UP TO ITS PROMISE?
THERE HAVE BEEN A LOT OF
ADVANCEMENTS AS A RESULT OF THE
MOVE TO ELECTRONIC VOTING.
IT'S MUCH MORE EFFICIENT IN
TERMS OF COLLECTING DATA AND
GETTING RESULTS QUICKLY
TO THE PUBLIC.
Man: LOADING ELECTION
LOGGING STARTUP.
IN ADDITION, THERE'S A LOT
LESS AMBIGUITY AND A LOT LESS
LOST VOTES.
ON THE OTHER HAND, THE BIG
PROBLEM WITH THE MOVE TO
ELECTRONIC VOTING WAS THAT IT
HAPPENED SO QUICKLY AND IT WAS
SEEN AS THIS PANACEA.
SO IN 2002, CONGRESS PASSED THE
"HELP AMERICA VOTE" ACT,
INVESTED BILLIONS OF DOLLARS AND
TOLD EVERYBODY YOU HAVE
BASICALLY FOUR YEARS TO
COMPLETELY CHANGE THE
MACHINERY THAT YOU'RE
USING FOR ELECTIONS.
UM, NO PROCESSES IN PLACE,
NO REAL TESTING STANDARDS FOR
THESE MACHINES, SO THEY WEREN'T
AS SECURE AND RELIABLE, I THINK,
AS MANY HAD HOPED.
WHEN I HEAR COMPUTER VOTING,
I THINK "UH-OH, COULD SOMEONE
HACK INTO THAT AND JUST THROW
THE RESULTS COMPLETELY?"
AND I THINK A LOT OF PEOPLE
THINK THAT.
THE VAST MAJORITY OF VOTING
SYSTEMS IN THE UNITED STATES
TODAY HAVE SOME KIND OF PAPER
RECORD THAT CAN BE USED TO CHECK
THE VOTING MACHINES TO MAKE SURE
THAT THEY WERE RECORDING
ACCURATELY.
IF WE'RE DOING THAT, IT'S MUCH,
MUCH MORE DIFFICULT TO HACK INTO
A SYSTEM.
NOW, HAVING SAID THAT,
THERE'S STILL A LOT THAT WE
COULD BE DOING.
THERE ARE 11 STATES IN THE
U.S. WHERE THEIR VOTING SYSTEMS
HAVE NO PAPER RECORD.
THEY'RE TOUCHSCREEN MACHINES
WITHOUT ANY PAPER TRAIL.
I SEE THAT AS A SECURITY RISK.
O.K., IT SAYS "INSERT CARD
TO BEGIN VOTING."
SO THIS ONE'S READY TO GO.
CURRENTLY, MANY STATES FOLLOW
VOLUNTARY VOTING SYSTEM
GUIDELINES, BUT THERE'S STILL
NO FEDERAL STANDARDIZATION.
THE POLLS ARE NOW OPEN!
WITH THOSE WORDS, MORE THAN
900 PRECINCTS ACROSS INDIANA
OPENED THEIR DOORS.
BY 10 A.M., THE ELECTIONEERING
FOLKS WERE OUT MAKING THEIR
11th-HOUR SALES PITCHES.
DO YOU NEED MY I.D., TOO?
WE SURE DO.
ALL RIGHT.
I KNOW YOU KNOW ME.
YEAH, I KNOW YOU.
MRS. ATKINS SAW ME MISS THE
BUS ABOUT 800 TIMES WHEN I WAS
IN HIGH SCHOOL.
Rocca: WELL, YEAH, BUT YOU
COULD BE AN IMPERSONATOR.
THAT'S TRUE.
ALL RIGHT, DO YOU WANT PAPER
OR TOUCH?
PAPER, DEFINITELY.
DO YOU NOT TRUST THE
TOUCH SCREEN?
I JUST PREFER PAPER.
I WOULD MUCH-- I'D RATHER
EVERYONE HAVE A PAPER BALLOT.
DEE DEE FILLED IN A PAPER
BALLOT, WHICH WAS THEN FED INTO
AN OPTICAL SCANNER FOR
PROCESSING.
IT'S A BIG, BIG, BIG DEAL.
I'M EXCITED AND I HOPE IT ALL
WORKS OUT TODAY.
57% OF AMERICANS USED THIS
VOTING METHOD.
THERE IT GOES.
ALL RIGHT, WELL,
CONGRATULATIONS.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
NOW WE'VE GOT TO GO OUT
AND... [WHISPERS] CAMPAIGN.
WE CAN'T DO THAT IN HERE, BUT
WE'LL DO THAT THIS AFTERNOON.
ALL RIGHT. ALL RIGHT.
HOLD STILL. NO... [SMACK]
OH! ALMOST GOT HIM.
I'M SORRY! I'M SORRY.
[BOTH LAUGH]
IT WAS-- SERIOUSLY, I HAD IT
LIKE, IT WAS RIGHT THERE.
CENTRAL TO MIKE'S
ELECTION-DAY OPERATION IS THIS
POLLING BOOK-- A THICK TOME
LISTING EVERY DEMOCRATIC VOTER
IN JENNINGS COUNTY.
FIRST NAME?
WHEN A DEMOCRAT VOTES, HIS OR
HER NAME IS CHECKED OFF A LIST.
THEY'LL HAVE TO SEE YOUR
I.D. UP THERE.
THE NAME IS FORWARDED TO
HEADQUARTERS, WHERE A TEAM OF
HIGH SCHOOL KIDS KEEPS A TALLY.
THIS PROCESS OF ELIMINATION
ALLOWS MIKE'S TEAM TO QUICKLY
IDENTIFY WHICH JENNINGS COUNTY
DEMOCRATS HAVEN'T VOTED YET.
AND THAT'S HOW WE GO AFTER
VOTERS AND MAKE SURE WE GET THE
STRAGGLERS AND GET 'EM
TO THE POLLS.
AND THAT'S HOW WE WIN.
Marshall: THE NUMBERS ARE
HUGE. YEAH? HOW WE LOOKING?
WE HAVEN'T GOT 'EM ALL IN,
BUT EVERY PRECINCT THAT'S IN,
THEY'RE HUGE.
REALLY?
THIS IS JUST UNHEARD OF
AT 10:00 IN THE MORNING.
I HAVEN'T HAD A RUSH LIKE THIS
SINCE THE FIRST TIME I VOTED.
REALLY?
WHEN I WAS 18-- 1970.
SO YOU WERE WORKING THE POLLS
THE FIRST TIME YOU VOTED?
YEAH, I WAS WORKING
AS A POLLBOOK HOLDER.
INSIDE OR OUTSIDE?
OUTSIDE-- THEY MADE US STAND
OUTSIDE. WHO WAS THE FIRST
PERSON YOU VOTED FOR?
I VOTED STRAIGHT DEMOCRAT.
YEAH? YEAH.
I HEAR THAT GUY'S ALWAYS
ON THE BALLOT.
WITH EVERYONE WORKING SO HARD
TO GET OUT THE VOTE, I THOUGHT
I SHOULD PITCH IN A LITTLE.
HEY, FLO!
LET'S GO!
FREE RIDE TO THE POLLS!
...YOU REMEMBER FLO, THE FORMER
FELON WHO THOUGHT SHE'D BEEN
BANNED FROM VOTING.
...ARE YOU HAPPY TO BE HERE?
Flo: SURE.
WHAT DO YOU THINK OF
THE BALLOT?
I THINK IT'S WEIRD-LOOKING.
DO YOU UNDERSTAND WHAT'S
MEANT BY THE STRAIGHT TICKET?
YOU COMPLETE THE ARROW ON
EITHER DEMOCRAT OR REPUBLICAN OR
LIBERTARIAN OR YOU CAN SPLIT
YOUR VOTE, SUCH AS BARACK OBAMA
AND THEN MITCH DANIELS.
BARACK IS A DEMOCRAT AND MITCH
DANIELS IS A REPUBLICAN.
THAT'S SPLITTING YOUR TICKET.
Rocca: I THINK SHE'S STILL
CONFUSED ABOUT THIS WHOLE
STRAIGHT-PARTY TICKET THING.
I THINK IT'S CONFUSING.
Man: IT'S A DESIGN MESS.
A GIANT DESIGN MESS.
THINKING THAT AMERICA'S
BALLOTS MIGHT BENEFIT FROM A
MAKEOVER, I ASKED NOTED
DESIGNER TODD OLDHAM TO
CRITIQUE AN ASSORTMENT FROM
AROUND THE COUNTRY.
"TO VOTE, COMPLETE THE ARROW
TO THE LEFT OF YOUR CHOICE
LIKE THIS.
TO CAST A WRITE-IN VOTE,
COMPLETE THE ARROW TO THE LEFT
OF THE BLANK..."
SEE, I'M ALREADY CONFUSED.
"FOR SPECIAL INFORMATION, REFER
TO THE CARD OF INSTRUC..."
[MUTTERING]
THIS IS A HUNK OF LIKE,
WORD GARBAGE RIGHT THERE.
AND HOW NOT INTUITIVE IS THIS?
HAVE YOU EVER BEEN ASKED TO DRAW
A LINE BETWEEN TWO ARROWS?
Rocca: IT'S LIKE A WEIRD
DRUNK DRIVING TEST. [LAUGHS]
YEAH, IT IS. LIKE, CAN YOU
DRAW THE LINE STRAIGHT?
I'VE NEVER SEEN THIS EVER,
IN ANYTHING.
THIS IS JUST DOWNRIGHT BIZARRE.
AND I'LL TELL YOU WHAT THE
BIGGEST PROBLEM, APPARENTLY,
WAS THOSE VOTING FOR EITHER
DICK DURBIN OR JIM DURKIN--
DURBIN WON THE RACE--
COMPLETED THE ARROW TO
THE RIGHT. MM-HMM.
ARROWS SUGGEST FORWARD MOVEMENT
OR, YOU KNOW, SOME TRAJECTORY
BASED ON THE POINT OF THE ARROW,
SO, UH, IT'S POINTING ME
IN THAT DIRECTION. THAT'S
RIGHT, IT'S PUSHING MY EYE
TO THE RIGHT. YEAH, IT'S
TELLING YOU TO MAKE YOUR
DECISION AND MARK IT HERE.
IT'S NOT TELLING YOU TO REVERT
IN THE WAY THAT THE BOX WOULD.
IT'S JUST AWFUL COMMUNICATION.
IT REALLY MAKES YOU WONDER IF
THERE WAS NOT ANOTHER MOTIVE
BEHIND THIS.
AND THEN, THIS ONE I DON'T
EVEN NEED TO GIVE YOU ANY SORT
OF PREFACE TO...
YEAH-- GOOD OLD 2000.
THIS ONE KIND OF WRECKED THE
WORLD, DIDN'T IT?
CAN YOU BEGIN TO ENUMERATE
THE PROBLEMS WITH THIS?
WE'LL GO WITH JUST WHAT'S
NATURALLY COUNTER-INTUITIVE
HERE.
AND IT'S, WE TALKED ABOUT IT
EARLIER, WHICH IS LEFT--
ACTIVATING LEFT,
ACTIVATING RIGHT.
THIS IS NOT WITHIN OUR MINDSET
AT ALL.
THEN THESE THINGS SLID DOWN
BEHIND IT AND WERE PUNCTURED.
WELL, YOU CAN SEE IMMEDIATELY
THAT THEY DON'T PROPERLY
LINE UP.
THE SPACING BETWEEN THIS HAS
NOTHING TO DO WITH THE SPACING
BETWEEN THESE BANNERS HERE.
YOU CAN'T FIGURE IT OUT.
PLUS THIS IS 2000!
I WOULD BELIEVE THIS FROM 1942
OR SOMETHING.
IT'S LIKE AN ADVENT CALENDAR
OR SOMETHING, OR LIKE A--
AND I LOVE AN ADVENT CALENDAR,
BUT YOU KNOW, THAT'S NOT
DECIDING WHO'S PRESIDENT.
AND IT SAYS, "VOTE FOR GROUP."
"GROUP" TELLS YOU TO
VOTE TWICE.
AND THERE'S NOTHING THERE THAT
SAYS TO PUNCH ONLY ONE HOLE.
WE NEED A THIRD SET OF
PARENTHESES. YOU'RE RIGHT.
...I GOT HIS POINT.
PALM BEACH COUNTY TOSSED OUT
MORE THAN 6600 DOUBLE-PUNCHES
FOR AL GORE AND ANOTHER
CANDIDATE.
AND THE ELECTION WAS DECIDED BY
537 VOTES STATEWIDE.
SO, I THINK WHAT'S SCARY IS
THE INCONSISTENCIES OF DESIGN
AND THE FACT THAT NO ONE SEEMS
TO BE IN CHARGE.
HOW COME THERE'S NOT A NATIONAL
CONSISTENCY FOR THESE THINGS?
I THINK BECAUSE A LOT OF
PEOPLE THINK IT SHOULD REMAIN
IN LOCAL CONTROL.
...NATIONAL CONSISTENCY MIGHT
SEEM UNATTAINABLE, AT LEAST
HERE IN THE U.S.
BUT THERE'S A PLACE NOT SO FAR
AWAY WHERE THEY'VE FIGURED OUT
A LOT OF THIS.
CANADA HAS HAD ONE NATIONAL
BALLOT DESIGN FOR ALMOST A
HUNDRED YEARS.
YOU MARK IT WITH AN X IN THE
WHITE DOT.
COAST TO COAST, NEWFOUNDLAND TO
VANCOUVER AND NORTH TO SOUTH.
GOOD AFTERNOON,
ELECTIONS CANADA, WILLOWDALE.
THEY'VE ALSO TAKEN THE
PARTISAN RANCOR OUT OF VOTING
BY ESTABLISHING AN INDEPENDENT
ORGANIZATION THAT OVERSEES
ALL ELECTIONS.
Man: YOU'VE GOT TO REACH OUT
TO THE PEOPLE AND MAKE SURE THAT
THE REASONS FOR WHICH THEY DON'T
VOTE HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH THE
COMPLEXITY OF THE SYSTEM.
EITHER WAY? YES.
DOES IT SHRED THEM AS IT GOES
THROUGH? NO, MA'AM.
SO AT THE AGE OF 50,
FLO PERKINS JOINED 15 MILLION
OTHER AMERICANS WHO CAST
BALLOTS FOR THE FIRST TIME
ON THIS DAY.
NICE.
BEN?
YEAH, WHAT'S THE LATEST?
AS THE AFTERNOON WORE ON,
MIKE AND HIS CREW STAYED
VIGILANT, PUSHING JUST AS HARD
AT 4 P.M. AS THEY HAD BEEN
AT 10 A.M.
HOW MANY BALLOTS DID THEY TRY
TO THROW OUT?
HOW MANY DID THEY THROW OUT?
THREE?
DO YOU HAVE THE NAMES?
Marshall: WHAT PRECINCT?
SPENCER SOUTH.
BEN SAID, "I THOUGHT
YOU'D WANT TO KNOW." [LAUGHS]
Marshall: NO SIGNATURE,
THAT'S NOT A RED FLAG.
NOTHING YOU CAN DO ABOUT IT.
O.K., LET ME-- CALL ME BACK
IF YOU GET ANYBODY ELSE.
O.K., THANKS, BEN, BYE.
BOY, THOSE KIDS.
I WANT THESE KIDS AS POLL
WATCHERS EVERY YEAR.
SAMUEL DID NOT HAVE A SIGNATURE,
THEY'RE SAYING NINA LOUISE
HAUSBERGER AND JACOB TRIMPE DID
NOT-- THEIR SIGNATURES DID
NOT MATCH.
SHE LIVES A QUARTER-MILE
SOUTH OF THE POLLS. LET'S GO.
Marshall: GET HER ON THE
PHONE, JUST CALL 'EM,
TELL 'EM TO GO TO THE POLLS.
DO WE HAVE ANY UPDATES FOR
THE CITIES? HERE'S 3B.
I NEED GENEVA ONE EAST.
WE JUST FOUND OUT THAT AT THE
POLLING PLACE, THEY THREW OUT
YOUR ABSENTEE BALLOT BECAUSE
THEY CLAIMED YOUR SIGNATURE
DIDN'T MATCH WITH THE
APPLICATION.
SO YOU HAVE UNTIL 6:00 TO
GO DOWN THERE AND GET IN LINE.
IF YOU'RE IN LINE AT 6:00,
YOU'LL BE ABLE TO VOTE
AND THAT VOTE WILL COUNT.
AND YOU MAKE SURE YOU TAKE YOUR
PHOTO I.D. WITH YOU, YOUR
DRIVER'S LICENSE WITH YOU, NINA.
THANK YOU-- BYE.
[LOUD SMACK]
YEAH...
BACK AT THE RIPLEY COUNTY
POLLING CENTER, DEE DEE WAS
SWEATING OUT THE LAST
FEW HOURS.
I AM HOT!
IT'S JUST HOT OUT HERE.
I CAN'T BELIEVE THIS.
HOW YOU DOIN' TODAY?
GOOD TO SEE YOU-- YOU'RE HERE
FOR THE McCAIN STUFF, RIGHT?
YUP, PICK IT UP AND
I'LL TAKE IT OVER TO MILAN.
GOOD DEAL.
O.K., LET'S SEE.
IS THAT ENOUGH, YOU THINK?
YEAH, THAT SHOULD BE ENOUGH.
IS THAT TOO MUCH?
NO, THAT'LL BE PLENTY.
YEAH, I THINK FOR MILAN
THAT'D BE A GOOD AMOUNT.
YEAH, I JUST CAME BACK FROM
OVER THERE AND THEY HAD A PRETTY
GOOD TURNOUT OVER THERE.
GOOD-- I THINK IT'S BEEN A
GOOD TURNOUT EVERYWHERE.
YEAH, IT IS, REALLY.
WELL, HEY, THANKS FOR PASSING
THAT OUT FOR SENATOR McCAIN AND
WE'LL KEEP OUR FINGERS CROSSED.
GO RED, INDIANA! YEP-- ALL
RIGHT, WE'LL TALK TO YOU LATER.
ALL RIGHT, TAKE CARE.
BYE-BYE. THANKS.
HE'S GOTTA WIN INDIANA.
IF WE DON'T WIN INDIANA, I THINK
THAT IS-- IT'S A BAD, BAD, BAD,
BAD SIGN.
OUTSIDE THE POLLING CENTER,
I CAUGHT UP WITH
LARRY SHICKLES, THE MAN WHO
SUED AND LOST OVER THE
JENNINGS COUNTY DEMOCRATIC
ABSENTEE BALLOTS.
THERE'S A CONCERN THAT
THERE ARE PEOPLE WHO MAY HAVE
VOTED WHO ARE NOT LEGITIMATELY
REGISTERED VOTERS.
I MEAN, WE'VE HEARD OF MICKEY
MOUSE BEING REGISTERED AND DUMBO
IN OTHER STATES-- I HOPE WE
DON'T HAVE THAT PROBLEM HERE.
THERE HAVE BEEN REPORTS IN THE
2006 ELECTION THAT IN JENNINGS
COUNTY THAT THERE PARTICULARLY
WAS A GROUP OF PEOPLE WHO
COLLECTED THE BALLOTS, TOOK THEM
TO A CENTRAL LOCATION AND SAT
DOWN ONE NIGHT AND VOTED THEM,
PUT THEM IN AN ENVELOPE--
THE ACTUAL BALLOTS?
NOT THE APPLICATIONS?
THE ACTUAL BALLOTS.
VOTED THOSE BALLOTS,
DROPPED THEM IN THE MAIL.
BUT YOU CAN'T VERIFY THAT.
I MEAN, I'M TELLING YOU THINGS
THAT PEOPLE HAVE CALLED AND
SAID, BUT THE JUDGE PROHIBITED
US FROM VERIFYING THOSE UNTIL
THE ELECTION'S OVER.
AND LET ME SAY THAT JENNINGS
COUNTY IS GOING TO GO ON
FOR SIX OR SEVEN MONTHS.
WE'VE ONLY BEGUN.
5:40 P.M.
MIKE'S TEAM WAS FOCUSED ON
WRINGING OUT EVERY LAST
POSSIBLE VOTE FROM THOSE WHO
WERE REGISTERED.
[KNOCKING...]
IS THERE ANYBODY YOU KNOW
THAT HASN'T VOTED RIGHT NOW
THAT WE NEED TO DRAG OUT?
Marshall: YOU KNOW WHERE
LITTLE GEORGIE IS?
HE MOVED.
WHERE'D HE GO?
HE'S ALREADY VOTED.
ALL RIGHT, ANYBODY ELSE?
ANYBODY ELSE SITTING AT HOME
RIGHT NOW WE NEED TO DRAG OUT?
Marshall: JUSTIN HAD AN
ABSENTEE, BUT HE DIDN'T MAIL
IT BACK. I KNOW IT.
BUT IF WE COULD FIND HIM,
WE COULD GET HIM IN THERE BY 6.
HE'S ON STATE STREET, DOWN IN
THE LITTLE APARTMENT.
I'VE BEEN THERE SIX TIMES,
FOUR LAST NIGHT, AND--
WELL, ONE TODAY AND FIVE
LAST NIGHT.
WHAT'S THE LATEST HE CAN
VOTE TONIGHT? 6:00--
15, 20 MINUTES. OH NO.
YOU CAN'T GET A HOLD OF HIM?
CAN'T GET A HOLD OF HIM.
I DON'T KNOW WHERE HE'S AT.
WE NEED THAT VOTE!
I KNOW WE DO.
WE CAN'T FIND HIM.
[♪...]
AS THE CLOCK TICKED DOWN,
IT OCCURRED TO ME: DID THESE
VOTERS REALLY KNOW WHO THEY
WERE VOTING FOR?
CERTAINLY NOT THE PRESIDENT.
INSTEAD THEY'RE VOTING FOR
EITHER BEN LEATHERBURY OR DAVID
BUSKILL, OUR DEMOCRATIC AND
REPUBLICAN ELECTORS.
THIS WAS SOMETHING THE PEOPLE
OF INDIANA DESERVED TO KNOW.
...FOR THE PRESIDENTIAL RACE,
DID YOU CAST YOUR BALLOT
FOR DAVID OR FOR BEN?
OH, GEE, I DIDN'T THINK ABOUT
DAVID OR BEN.
YOU'RE VOTING FOR SOMEBODY
TO ACTUALLY VOTE FOR YOUR
CANDIDATE, SO...
I DON'T KNOW.
AND YOU'RE AWARE THAT HE'S
ONE OF THE ELECTORS?
YEAH.
ACTUALLY, NO.
SO YOU ENDED UP CASTING YOUR
VOTE FOR...
FOR BEN.
AND 10 OTHER OBAMA ELECTORS?
YES.
SO THAT ON DECEMBER 15,
THEY CAN...
VOTE FOR BARACK OBAMA.
AND THAT MAKES SENSE?
YES. REALLY?
NO-- NOT AT ALL.
AS IT HAPPENS, MOST PEOPLE
DIDN'T KNOW WHO DAVID AND BEN
WERE OR OF THE ROLE THE
ELECTORAL COLLEGE PLAYS
IN SHAPING THE CANDIDATES'
STRATEGY.
THEY JUST WANTED TO VOTE.
[BELL CHIMES IN DISTANCE]
OH, HEAR THAT BELL?
All: HEAR YE! HEAR YE!
THE POLLS ARE NOW CLOSED!
[LAUGHING]
Woman: YES, THEY CAN START
TAKING SIGNS DOWN.
GARY CATNER, PATRICIA CATNER,
KENNETH COHEN, RIPLEY COOK...
[TAPPING ON DOOR]
Man: COME IN.
DANNY, IS THAT SOME OF OUR
WORKERS FROM THE CHURCH?
Man: I WAS JUST OVER AT
CROSS PLAINS AND THEY TOLD ME
I COULDN'T VOTE OVER THERE.
I HAD TO COME OVER HERE AND I
VOTED OVER THERE THE LAST
THREE TIMES.
YOU NEED TO CALM DOWN.
I'M MAD.
WHY CAN'T I VOTE RIGHT NOW,
RIGHT HERE?
YOU NEED TO CALM DOWN
AND QUIT YELLING.
I DON'T CARE.
IT AIN'T RIGHT!
IT'S NOT OUR FAULT!
WHY COULDN'T I VOTE
OVER THERE?
YOU WERE NOT REGISTERED
FOR THAT PRECINCT.
ALL I WANT TO DO IS VOTE.
THE POLLS ARE CLOSED NOW.
I'VE BEEN OVER THERE FOR THE
LAST THREE ELECTIONS AND NOW ALL
OF A SUDDEN, I'M OVER HERE.
EVIDENTLY YOU DID A CHANGE
OF REGISTRATION TO BE
VOTING UP HERE.
I DID NOT DO NO CHANGE
OF REGISTRATION. NOBODY
ELSE WOULD HAVE DONE IT.
Officer: HAVE A NICE EVENING.
YOU TOO-- BYE.
[DOOR SHUTS]
WELL, IT'S THE WEE, WEE LATE
HOUR OF 6 P.M. AND THE POLLS
ARE CLOSED ALL ACROSS INDIANA.
NOW IT'S TIME TO TABULATE
THE VOTES.
IN RIPLEY COUNTY, THE RESULTS
WERE IMMEDIATELY DISPLAYED TO
THE PUBLIC AS THEY WERE
CALCULATED.
O.K., LET'S SEE, LET'S SEE,
LET'S SEE, LET'S SEE.
100% YAY!
MORRIS, WHOO-HOO!
6,552 TO 5,465.
54-45.
WE'LL TAKE IT.
GOT TO LOVE IT, YES!
[WOMAN LAUGHS]
THE REPUBLICANS WERE DOING
WELL IN MANY LOCAL RACES.
BUT MEMBERS OF BOTH PARTIES
WERE HOLDING THEIR BREATH FOR
THE BIG ONE.
[PEOPLE CHEER, APPLAUD]
AT JENNINGS COUNTY DEMOCRATIC
HEADQUARTERS, A CROWD WAS
GATHERING TO WATCH THE FIRST
ELECTION RETURNS.
1A!
Rocca: SO WHAT'S THE
MOOD HERE?
Woman: WONDERFUL.
VERY HAPPY.
IT TAKES A LONG TIME FOR THE
THINGS TO COME IN, YEAH?
YEAH, YEAH, AND YOU KNOW,
IT'S AWFULLY HARD TO WAIT.
IT'S VERY HARD TO WAIT.
DO YOU WISH IT WERE
COMPUTERIZED?
THAT WOULD BE NICE.
IT WOULD.
OVER IN RIPLEY COUNTY,
THEY HAVE THAT.
OH, IS IT REALLY?
OH, THAT WOULD BE GREAT!
134 TO 115.
[CHEERING, APPLAUSE]
THE ROOM WOULD BE PACKED FOR
THE NEXT SEVERAL HOURS AS
RESULTS CAME IN.
EVEN OUTSIDE IT WAS
STANDING-ROOM ONLY.
OBAMA JUST WON PENNSYLVANIA.
Woman: OBAMA WON
PENNSYLVANIA!
Woman 2: OBAMA WON
PENNSYLVANIA!
AND THE REST, AS THEY SAY,
IS HISTORY.
[DRAMATIC DRUMMING]
AND CNN CAN NOW PROJECT THAT
BARACK OBAMA, 47 YEARS OLD,
WILL BECOME THE PRESIDENT-ELECT
OF THE UNITED STATES.
[CHEERING, APPLAUSE]
HELLO, CHICAGO!
[LOUDER CHEERING]
[♪...]
SO IT CAME TO BE THAT NEARLY
67 MILLION AMERICANS CAST THEIR
BALLOTS FOR BARACK OBAMA.
THE PEOPLE, OR AT LEAST THOSE
WHO'D MANAGED TO REGISTER AND
VOTE, HAD SPOKEN.
AT 61% OF ELIGIBLE VOTERS,
IT WAS THE HIGHEST TURNOUT
SINCE 1964.
AND NOW IT WAS TIME FOR THE
REAL ELECTION.
...WELL, THE BIG DAY
HAS ARRIVED.
THE FIRST MONDAY AFTER THE
SECOND WEDNESDAY IN DECEMBER.
ELECTION DAY.
AND THAT'S WHY I'VE COME HERE,
TO THE INDIANA STATE CAPITOL.
Man: LADIES AND GENTLEMEN,
AS THEY COME FROM THE BACK OF
THE ROOM, PLEASE WELCOME
INDIANA'S ELECTORS AND THE
ALTERNATE ELECTORS.
[APPLAUSE]
I WAS HERE FOR THE CONVENING
OF INDIANA'S DELEGATION TO THE
ELECTORAL COLLEGE.
TODD, ARE WE GONNA NEED
A PHOTO I.D.?
[LAUGHTER]
Man: GOOD QUESTION.
[LAUGHTER, APPLAUSE, WHISTLES]
WITH ALL THE POMP,
CIRCUMSTANCE AND POINTED BARBS
ASIDE, 19-YEAR-OLD BEN
LEATHERBURY AND THE 10 OTHER
DEMOCRAT ELECTORS CAST THEIR
HISTORIC VOTES.
Man: IF I CAN HAVE YOUR
ATTENTION, PLEASE?
I AM INFORMED BY THE ELECTION
DIVISION THAT 11 VOTES HAVE BEEN
CAST AND TABULATED AND ALL 11
VOTES HAVE BEEN CAST FOR
BARACK OBAMA.
[APPLAUSE]
WITH NEARLY THREE MILLION
VOTES CAST IN INDIANA,
BARACK OBAMA WOUND UP WITH A
ONE PERCENT LEAD, ENTITLING HIM
TO ALL OF THE STATE'S
11 ELECTORAL VOTES.
WHILE IT WORKED OUT FOR HIM,
I WONDERED IF THIS ELECTORAL
COLLEGE APPROACH WAS THE BEST
WAY FOR THE WORLD'S GREATEST
DEMOCRACY TO CHOOSE ITS MOST
IMPORTANT ELECTED OFFICIAL.
Raskin: MOST AMERICANS LOVE
THE IDEA OF HAVING A POPULAR
VOTE FOR PRESIDENT AND THE
NATIONAL POPULAR VOTE
LEGISLATION IS THE SINGLE MOST
PROMISING AVENUE WE'VE GOT TO
BREAK FROM THE BIZARRENESS OF
THE ELECTORAL COLLEGE BECAUSE IT
WILL MEAN THAT THE WINNER OF THE
NATIONAL POPULAR VOTE WILL GET
ALL OF THE ELECTORAL COLLEGE
VOTES OR CERTAINLY ALL THE
ELECTORAL VOTES OF THE STATES
PARTICIPATING.
CURRENTLY, EVERY STATE EXCEPT
TWO AWARDS ALL ITS ELECTORAL
VOTES TO THE WINNER OF ITS
POPULAR VOTE, CREATING RED AND
BLUE STATES.
BUT WITH THE NEW LEGISLATION,
EACH STATE WILL AWARD ITS
ELECTORS TO THE WINNER OF THE
NATIONAL POPULAR VOTE.
THIS LEGISLATION WILL ONLY GO
INTO EFFECT WHEN THE TOTAL
NUMBER OF ELECTORS AVAILABLE
FROM PARTICIPATING STATES
REACHES 270: THE MAGIC NUMBER
NEEDED TO WIN THE PRESIDENCY.
WE ACTUALLY HAVE ENOUGH
ELECTORAL COLLEGE VOTES THAT
WE'RE HALFWAY THERE IN TERMS OF
THE 270 WE NEED IN ORDER TO GET
US TO NATIONAL POPULAR VOTE,
SO I THINK IT'S GOING TO HAPPEN
BEFORE THE 2016 ELECTION.
AND I THINK THAT THE NATIONAL
POPULAR VOTE CAMPAIGN IS THE
BRIDGE TO GETTING US TO A DIRECT
ELECTION OF THE PRESIDENT, WHICH
YOU KNOW, WILL JUST HAVE US
CATCHING UP WITH THE REST
OF THE WORLD.
THERE HAVE BEEN MORE BILLS IN
CONGRESS TO ABOLISH THE
ELECTORAL COLLEGE THAN ON
ANY OTHER ISSUE.
AND IT'S NOT A PARTISAN CAUSE.
REPUBLICAN PRESIDENT RICHARD
NIXON SUPPORTED A
CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT
TO ABOLISH IT.
WHOEVER WINS THE POPULAR VOTE
SHOULD BE THE NEXT PRESIDENT OF
THE UNITED STATES.
TOM TANCREDO IS NO
PROGRESSIVE, REMEMBER.
HE'S THE GUY WHO WANTS US ALL
TO TAKE A TEST BEFORE WE VOTE.
WHY ARE YOU SUPPORTING THE
NATIONAL POPULAR VOTE
INITIATIVE?
WELL, I'VE SEEN WHAT HAS
HAPPENED TO OUR COUNTRY AS A
RESULT OF THE PRESENT SYSTEM.
I WAS IN CONGRESS WHEN THIS
FELLOW PUSHED SOMETHING CALLED
THE MEDICARE PRESCRIPTION DRUG
PLAN AND IT WAS THE WORST PIECE
OF LEGISLATION I HAVE EVER HAD
TO SIT THROUGH AND IT WAS THE
MOST HEAVILY LOBBIED I HAVE
EVER SEEN--
AND WHAT DID IT HAVE TO DO
WITH THE ELECTORAL COLLEGE?
YES, I'LL TELL YOU, IT WAS
ALL ABOUT THE ELECTORAL COLLEGE.
ALL ABOUT GETTING HIM THE
ELECTORAL VOTES OF THE STATE
OF FLORIDA.
EVERYBODY KNEW WHY WE WERE
DOING THIS.
THAT'S WHY THEY COULDN'T
GET THE VOTES.
I MEAN, MOST REPUBLICANS WEREN'T
GOING TO GO ALONG WITH IT,
NO MATTER WHAT.
BUT EVENTUALLY, HE GOT ENOUGH
PEOPLE AND THEY PASSED IT.
WE DID ALL OF THAT,
A TRILLION-DOLLAR BILL, FOR THE
ELECTORAL VOTES OF THE STATE
OF FLORIDA.
EVEN THOUGH I FOUND LIBERALS
AND SOME CONSERVATIVES AGREEING
THAT THE ELECTORAL COLLEGE IS
ANTIQUATED, OLD-FANGLED, I KNEW
ONE GROUP IN 2008 THAT WAS
HAPPY FOR THE WINNER OF
INDIANA'S 11 ELECTORAL VOTES.
WHO LOVES LIVING IN A
BLUE STATE?
[APPLAUSE]
Rocca: ALL RIGHT, BUT WAIT
A MINUTE-- WHAT DO YOU THINK
YOU ALL DID ON THE GROUND
THAT MADE A DIFFERENCE?
WHAT WAS WITHIN YOUR CONTROL?
I THINK THE ABSENTEES ARE OUR
MARGIN OF VICTORY FOR OUR
CANDIDATES.
OVER 55% OF THE WORKING
WORKFORCE IN JENNINGS COUNTY HAS
TO DRIVE OUTSIDE OF JENNINGS
COUNTY TO WORK AND THE AVERAGE
OF THOSE 55% WORK 10-HOUR
SHIFTS.
SO IT'S ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE FOR
THEM TO VOTE AND WE, IN THE LAST
THREE ELECTIONS ANYWAY,
HAVE EDUCATED THE PUBLIC THAT
YES, YOU CAN VOTE ABSENTEE.
'CAUSE A LOT OF PEOPLE DON'T
EVEN REALIZE YOU CAN VOTE
BY MAIL. JUST TO PLAY DEVIL'S
ADVOCATE, YOU DIDN'T TO HAVE A
PHOTO I.D. FOR THE
ABSENTEE BALLOT?
I THINK THAT'S ONE OF THE
REASONS FOR THE INCREASED
INTEREST IS THAT SO MANY OLDER
PEOPLE DON'T HAVE A DRIVER'S
LICENSE, THEY CAN'T FIND A BIRTH
CERTIFICATE, YOU KNOW,
THEY REALLY ARE LEFT WITH NO
OTHER CHOICE.
AND A LOT OF OUR ABSENTEES
ARE ELDERLY.
A LOT OF THEM ARE.
Marshall: AND THE REPUBLICANS
ALWAYS WANT TO SAY THERE'S
SOMETHING WRONG WITH THE
ABSENTEES BECAUSE THERE ARE JUST
SO MANY, BUT YOU KNOW WHAT?
THERE'S NOTHING WRONG WITH
VOTING ABSENTEE, IT'S A VOTE.
YOU ONLY GET TO VOTE ONCE.
YOU SCARED THEM.
I CAN SAY THAT FLAT OUT.
YOU HAVE SCARED THEM.
Woman: I AGREE. YEP.
AFTER THE 2008 ELECTION,
MIKE MARSHALL CONTINUED WORKING
ON CAMPAIGNS AND GETTING OUT
THE VOTE IN INDIANA.
I MEAN, YOU'RE JUST AWESOME.
I MEAN, YOU ARE JUST A SOLDIER
THERE, YOU KNOW, WATCHING
THE VOTER FRAUD--
DEE DEE BENKIE BEGAN A STINT
AT FOX NEWS, APPEARING AS A
COMMENTATOR ON SEVERAL
PROGRAMS.
THEN, IN 2011, THE CONTROVERSY
OVER ABSENTEE BALLOT
APPLICATIONS RESURFACED.
Newscaster: INDIANA STATE
POLICE SAY THE INVESTIGATION
INTO FORMER CAMPAIGN WORKER MIKE
MARSHALL BEGAN MONTHS AGO AND
STEMMED FROM ALLEGED VOTER FRAUD
ISSUES REGARDING ABSENTEE BALLOT
APPLICATIONS.
ON FRIDAY, MARSHALL WAS INDICTED
BY A JENNINGS COUNTY GRAND JURY
WHO ISSUED 66 INDICTMENTS.
MAYOR GALLIGAN SAYS IT'S HIS
UNDERSTANDING THE INDICTMENT
STEMS FROM THREE ABSENTEE BALLOT
APPLICATIONS.
I THINK THIS IS POLITICAL
RETRIBUTION AND IT'S JUST THE
WAY POLITICS IS IN THIS
DAY AND TIME.
[♪...]
MIKE WAS INDICTED ON 45
COUNTS OF FORGERY, PERJURY
AND VOTER FRAUD.
HIS TRIAL IS SET TO BEGIN
LATE IN 2012.
IF CONVICTED, HE FACES LIFE
IN PRISON.
[♪...]
BECAUSE OF THE PENDING
LITIGATION, MIKE WAS UNABLE TO
SPEAK WITH ME.
BUT AS BOTH SIDES PREPARED
THEIR CASES, I TALKED WITH SOME
OF HIS COLLEAGUES.
Woman: I THINK PEOPLE DO GET
VICIOUS ABOUT VOTING--
PEOPLE THAT YOU DON'T SEE THE
VICIOUS SIDE OF TALKING ABOUT
OTHER TOPICS, BUT YOU DO SEE A
WARLIKE ATTITUDE WHEN VOTER
RIGHTS AND VOTER SUPPRESSION
IS BEING DISCUSSED.
Man: SHE WAS SHOCKED;
I WAS NOT SHOCKED, BECAUSE...
YOU SAW IT COMING?
I KNEW-- IT'S LIKE I SAID,
HE'S SUCCESSFUL IN WHAT HE DOES,
HE WEARS A TARGET-- THEY'RE
GONNA TRY TO TAKE HIM DOWN.
AND THAT'S EXACTLY
WHAT HAPPENED.
SOMEONE ASKED THE QUESTION:
WHY ARE THERE SO MANY
INDICTMENTS? Rocca: RIGHT.
IT'S A LOT.
THEY SAID, "WE HAVE TO CHARGE
A LOT BECAUSE PROBABLY MOST OF
THEM WON'T STICK AND WE'RE
HOPING SOME OF THEM WILL
SLIDE BY."
THAT TELLS YOU RIGHT THERE,
"WE HAVE NOTHING."
IF THEY THINK THEY'RE GOING
TO GET AWAY WITH STEAMROLLING
PEOPLE, I WOULD SAY THAT ONE OF
THEIR FIRST LESSONS IS GONNA BE
MIKE MARSHALL AND HOW THIS
COMMUNITY STEPS UP
TO BACK HIM UP.
AND THEY'RE GONNA FIND OUT THAT
THE ENTIRE COMMUNITY DOESN'T
THINK THE WAY THEY DO.
THE ENTIRE COMMUNITY THINKS
EVERYBODY GETS A RIGHT TO VOTE
AND THAT THAT MATTERS, BECAUSE
WHAT THE HELL IS GOING ON?
WHEN SOMEBODY WHO HELPS OTHER
PEOPLE VOTE, ON A VOLUNTEER
BASIS, IS BEING ATTACKED BY
THEIR POLITICAL OPPOSITION?
DEFINITELY RETRIBUTION.
Rocca: IF MIKE MARSHALL IS
SENTENCED TO PRISON FOR THE
REST OF HIS LIFE, HOW WOULD
YOU FEEL?
Benkie: TERRIBLE.
TERRIBLE.
IT'D BE TRAGIC.
I HOPE THAT DOESN'T HAPPEN.
I'M EMPATHETIC TO FOLKS THAT,
YOU KNOW, MAKE MISTAKES.
AND I'M NOT SAYING MIKE DID.
I JUST FEEL BAD WHENEVER,
PERHAPS, LAWS ARE SO MURKY AND
THINGS ARE SO DIFFERENT THAT IT
CAN MAYBE GET MESSED UP,
WHETHER IT'S INTENTIONAL
OR UNINTENTIONAL.
THAT'S WHY I'M SO ADAMANT ABOUT
VOTER I.D. AND ABOUT ABSENTEE
BALLOTS BEING ACCURATE AND THAT
WE HAVE STANDARDIZED VOTER I.D.
LAWS AND THAT WE NEED TO
DEFINITELY GET OUR ACT TOGETHER
NATIONWIDE AND IT SHOULDN'T BE
THIS HODGEPODGE ALL OVER THE
PLACE-- IT'S TOO CONFUSING.
Browne-Dianis: INDIANA
STARTED THE BALL ROLLING
ON VOTER I.D. RESTRICTIONS.
THEY WERE ONE OF THE FIRST TO
PASS THE MOST RESTRICTIVE I.D.
LAWS AND NOW WE'RE SEEING IT
SPREAD THROUGHOUT THE COUNTRY.
THE PHRASE "WAR ON VOTING,"
DO YOU THINK THAT'S HYPERBOLIC
OR DO YOU THINK IT'S
APPROPRIATE?
I THINK "WAR ON VOTING" IS A
TOTALLY APPROPRIATE PHRASE FOR
RIGHT NOW BECAUSE I THINK THERE
IS A MOVE IN THIS COUNTRY TO
MAKE SURE THAT NOT EVERYBODY
GETS TO VOTE, AND...
THAT THE RIGHT PEOPLE VOTE.
AND THE SO-CALLED WRONG PEOPLE
DON'T GET TO VOTE.
IT IS TIME TO ASK, WHAT KIND
OF NATION DO WE WANT TO BE?
ARE WE WILLING TO ALLOW THIS
ERA, OUR ERA, TO BE REMEMBERED
AS THE AGE WHEN OUR NATION'S
PROUD TRADITION OF EXPANDING
THE FRANCHISE ENDED?
ENSURING THAT EVERY VETERAN,
EVERY SENIOR, EVERY COLLEGE
STUDENT, EVERY ELIGIBLE CITIZEN
HAS THE RIGHT TO VOTE
MUST BECOME OUR COMMON CAUSE.
AND FOR ALL AMERICANS,
PROTECTING THIS RIGHT,
ENSURING MEANINGFUL ACCESS AND
COMBATING DISCRIMINATION
MUST BE VIEWED NOT ONLY
AS A LEGAL ISSUE, BUT AS
A MORAL IMPERATIVE.
[♪...]
IT'S SAD TO THINK THAT IN
THIS GREAT DEMOCRACY, WE STILL
FIND OURSELVES BATTLING
OVER VOTING.
DO WE REALLY NOT AGREE THAT ALL
LAW-ABIDING CITIZENS DESERVE
THE RIGHT TO VOTE?
THERE MUST BE SOME
COMMON GROUND.
...AMERICANS HATE BEING TOLD
WHAT TO DO.
SO WHY DO WE HAVE SO MANY
DIFFERENT SETS OF RULES WITH
DIFFERENT REGISTRATION
DEADLINES, BALLOT DESIGNS,
POLLING HOURS, MACHINES WE VOTE
ON, I.D. REQUIREMENTS?
WHEN IT COMES TO CHOOSING A
PRESIDENT, SHOULD THE CANDIDATE
WHO GETS THE MOST VOTES WIN,
AS IN EVERY OTHER ELECTION?
SHOULD THE CONSTITUTION BE
AMENDED TO INCLUDE A RIGHT
TO VOTE?
OH, AND MOST IMPORTANTLY, DID MY
CLASSROOM DEMONSTRATION
PERMANENTLY SCAR THOSE CHILDREN?
[CHILDREN LAUGHING, YELLING]
WELL, I AM SURE ABOUT ONE THING:
VOTING MATTERS.
SO IF YOU THINK OUR ELECTORAL
SYSTEM IS BROKEN, THAT IT'S
OVERLY COMPLICATED, PRONE TO
MELTDOWNS, DON'T LOOK FOR A
LITTLE BLUE PILL TO SOLVE
THE PROBLEM.
THE KEY TO FIXING ELECTORAL
DYSFUNCTION... IS VOTING.
I LOVE IT WHEN A DOCUMENTARY
ENDS ON A NOTE OF IRONY.
Keb' Mo': ♪ FROM SEA
TO SHINING, SHINING SEA. ♪
[MUSIC ENDS]
[NEW SONG BEGINS]
[♪...]
Stacia Fernandez:♪ ELECTORAL
DYSFUNCTION ♪
♪ WHERE'S THE PILL
FOR THIS AFFLICTION? ♪
♪ ELECTORAL DYSFUNCTION
♪ WHERE'S THE NEXT ERUPTION?
♪ WHO'S THE BOSS, MR. TWEED?
♪ STUFFING THOSE BALLOTS
IN THAT BOX ♪
♪ YOUR GANG MADE NEW YORK CITY
BLEED,
STRUTTIN' LIKE
A FLOCK OF PEACOCKS ♪
♪ ELECTORAL DYSFUNCTION
♪ WHERE'S THE PILL
FOR THIS AFFLICTION? ♪
♪ ELECTORAL DYSFUNCTION
♪ WHERE'S THE NEXT ERUPTION?
♪ KATHERINE HARRIS,
QUEEN OF THE CHADS,
YOU PURGED THOSE VOTER ROLLS ♪
♪ YOU AND THOSE SUPREME LADS
CRUSHED AL GORE'S RISE
AT THE POLLS ♪
[♪...]
♪ ELECTORAL DYSFUNCTION
♪ WHERE'S THE PILL
FOR THIS AFFLICTION? ♪
♪ WE NEED AN INJECTION
TO CURE THIS INFECTION ♪
♪ ELECTORAL DYSFUNCTION!
[♪...]
THAT'S NOT FAIR AT ALL!
SHH!