The Virginian-Pilot
©
RICHMOND
Calling it a "joke that got out of control," a top state election official today confirmed that the person responsible for a phony election flier circulated in Hampton Roads has been identified.
Law enforcement officials, meanwhile, added that charges will not be filed in the matter.
Bearing the Virginia seal and the State Board of Elections logo, the flier claimed the General Assembly had taken emergency action to divide the election over two days instead of one due to expected high voter turnout. Containing multiple misspellings, it advised Republicans to vote on Nov. 4 and Democrats to vote on Nov. 5.
The General Assembly, however, has not taken any emergency action to change the date of the election, which remains Nov. 4 for all voters.
Flier sightings had been reported in Hampton, Newport News, Norfolk and Virginia Beach early last week; later in the week, State Police officials confirmed that it was also being distributed via e-mail.
At a press briefing this morning, State Board of Elections Secretary Nancy Rodrigues described the flier as a joke gone awry.
Agency spokeswoman Susan Pollard later explained that an investigation revealed that one individual had created the flier for humor and another person started its distribution.
While distribution of false information to voters is a Class 1 misdemeanor in Virginia, State Police spokeswoman Corinne Geller today said charges will not be filed against the perpetrator.
She did not immediately elaborate, and other state officials did not provide identifying information for the individual who composed the flier or the person who spread it.
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Interesting . . .
This story broke on election day yet we didn't find out until three days later why no prosecution!
Someone made the flier as a joke at work and showed it to a handful of people. One of *them* sent it to the Obama campaign where it was accidentally sent out as a viral e-mail! So, whoa, the campaign workers for the Democrats almost got their own Democratic population to the polls on the wrong day?
Gertz, do you still wish to hang the person/organization that distributed this?
Joke
The real joke will be on us if Obama gets elected
Yes this is a crime
But can resources be better spent on a more damaging crime? Think of the cost of taking the person to trial or even just a hearing versus using the efforts elsewhere. Yes, I agree that using the official images was wrong, but how was society really hurt by the action? The system chose their battle, and did so wisely.
Hmmm GERTZ, question for you...
You stated on another Misdemenor Issue that:
Ms McNair should be prosecuted because she broke the law, but I'm curious, will these people actually show up to vote? Maybe! How many applications were false? ***Are we talking something minor or something major?*** Wed, 10/15/2008 at 4:48 pm
But now for this misdememenor you seem to want the stones thrown at the people invovled. For such a staunch person of law, at least that last comment, why would you even consider wondering if there was a major or minor infraction of law previously?
Where's the Joke
Joke or not is this still not a crime.
Agree with HAHA
This was a joke. That was obviously the intent. Please move on, and lighten up! I highly doubt anyone really took this seriously, and if they did, well...they should take voting more seriously, and do some research before they vote. If you get your information from a sign stuck to a street pole, I feel sorry for you.
you have got to be joking!
I was under the impression that this was a felony. Use of a government seal. Phony distribution. I wonder how this can happen that the authorities have chosen to just look the other way? This is going to have an affect on the election. I hope the Democrats contact their attorney regarding this.
McCain has contacted his attorney regarding the military not getting all their votes in.
We need a truly honest election where all the votes can be counted; that would be fair.
What about all the people who sent in their request for absentee voting due to their jobs and never received the voting packets in the mail? I haven't heard anything about that in the news yet. I know, because I sent in two requests and so did my husband and neither one of us received it.
OMG!
I just got a text message that said 'Due to long lines Obama voters should vote on Wednesday!'
Call the feds!!
re: the truth as told by me...
desert_divine wrote:
>>>There should be accountability for this. Why isn't this considered fraud since an official logo was used to make this flier?<<<
There is truth and then there is law. There has to be criminal intent which the state police, after an investigation, found there was none.
As has been stated, anyone falling for this hasn't the capacity for rational thought, much less the ability to vote.
This explanation doesn't pass the smell test
The State Police statement may be showing appropriate discretion in not providing further information. But in such a hotly contested race, where there has been evidence of actual deceptive behavior, a better explanation is owed to the public. This is too serious to be brushed aside, even if the explanation proves embarrassing to adult or juvenile perpetrators.