"Democrat for a Day" Election Fun Illegal in Ohio

Remember the “Dummicrat” for a day effort of right-wing talker Victoria Taft endorsed by The Oregonian’s David Reinhardt? (In Oregon this really should be the “Democrat for 3 weeks” plan since you have to change your voter registration by April 29). The idea is to encourage Republicans to re-register as Democrats in time to vote in the Oregon May 20 primary for the weaker general election Democrat. This copy-cat plan is inspired by the kind of fun Rush Limbaugh suggested in his very hyped effort at ratings and relevance just before the
Ohio primaries: “We want Hillary to stay in this," Limbaugh told radio talker Laura Ingraham on Feb. 29. "This is too good a soap opera. We need Barack Obama bloodied up politically, and it's obvious that the Republicans are not going to do it and don't have the stomach for it, as you probably know."

Did it work? The Cleveland Plain Dealer political blog reported a “staggering” number of cross-over Republicans in the Cleveland area. On Thursday, March 20, the Cleveland Plain Dealer reported that the "Cuyahoga County Board of Election has launched an investigation that could lead to criminal charges against voters who maliciously switched parties for the March 4 presidential primary." When changing party registration, Ohio voters are required to fill out a form swearing allegiance to that new party "under penalty of election falsification." Lying on the statement is punishable by up to 12 months in jail and a $2,500 fine. According to the Board of Elections, "One voter scribbled the following addendum to his pledge as a new Democrat: 'For one day only.'" "Such an admission amounts to voter fraud," the report continued, attributing that conclusion to a Democratic member of the BOE.

The day after the Ohio primary, Fox News asked Hillary Clinton if she owed Limbaugh a thank you. "Be careful what you wish for, Rush," she replied.