Ron Paul "Meetup Coordinator" in New Hampshire Shoots Down Gambling911 StoryJames Forsythe, the Ron Paul "Meetup Coordinator" representing the state of New Hampshire insists that "Gambling911.com has been creating a mountain out of a molehill".
"Our web site and meetup group has been swamped with e-mails from folks around the country concerned with the changes in the voting rules in New Hampshire," Forsythe says. "This is frustrating since the rules HAVE NOT CHANGED in New Hampshire." (see Mr. Forsythe's posting here)
Forsythe referred to Gambling911.com Special Contributor Jennifer Reynolds article that claims New Hampshire is one of a handful of states that will require only registered Republicans to vote for Republican candidates.
"So all these e-mails are just taking away our precious time from what needs to be done. This all got started by an article on gambling911. It makes allegations of voting rules changes across the country that are designed to keep Ron Paul from getting the primary nomination. Now some of the allegations may be true in other states, I'm not familiar with their history. But here in New Hampshire the rules have not changed. We were a closed primary before, and are still a closed primary."
Here's what the gambling911 article said about NH:
Many states, in an effort to shut out Ron Paul are now closing their primaries. That means that only Republicans can vote in the Presidential primaries for a Republican candidate. Many states are doing this quickly and quietly and giving people very little time to learn about the new rules. For example, New Hampshire decided only a week ago that you will now have to change your party affiliation by October 12, 2007 or it will be too late to do so. New Hampshire also has a closed primary and only Republicans and possibly Independents will be allowed to vote for Ron Paul.
"So the first error is that we have changed from an open to a closed primary. We were always a closed primary (must register as a Republican to vote in the primary)," Forsythe insists.
So was Ms. Reynolds wrong? Not exactly.
"It is true that the date got announced only recently, but that is a function of the primary date being moved up due to other states trying to get an early primary," Forsythe explains.
The other major error, according to Forsythe, is that the article says "possibly Independents" will not be able to vote for Ron Paul.
"This is not true - independents can show up the day of the primary and change to Republican and vote (and change back after the vote)."
So there you have it. If you thought Jennifer Reynolds article was disturbing before, Forsythe only seems to confirm her point: That is something is terribly amiss....and not just in New Hampshire.
"The October 12 deadline ONLY AFFECTS PEOPLE THAT ARE CURRENTLY REGISTERED AS DEMOCRATS. And in New Hampshire, since independents can vote in either primary, most folks are independents (around 43%).
"So a mountain has been made of a molehill. Only 26% of registered voters in NH are Democrats. It's possible we could win some of this 26% over (and have already), but we are more likely to get independent and Republican voters than the registered democrats. And we will have up until the day of the primary to do that."
Some of the 26% of Democrats? And just exactly how many of these 43% of Independents do you really believe are willing to "change to Republican and vote and change back after the vote"?
"By all means, spread the word to your Democrat friends to switch parties to vote for Ron Paul. But please don't spread disinformation on the situation in New Hampshire," Forsythe says of his "Live Free or Die" state.
So to highlight what Mr. Forsythe is saying:
Independents must become Republicans to vote for Ron Paul in the New Hampshire primaries then they can change back to their Independent status. Democrats must become Republicans to vote for Ron Paul, but this has to be done prior to the primaries.
So where exactly was Ms. Reynolds wrong again and what country do we live in again?
Forsythe's argument only serves to reinforce why we have Jennifer Reynolds on board with us.
----
Christopher Costigan, Gambling911.com
Originally published October 5, 2007 1:25 pm ET
