Nevada County Tea Party Response to Gregory Diaz "Some Thoughts On Voting"

published March 11, 2019 in the Union Newspaper

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Regarding Nevada County Election Official Greg Diaz’s recent article in the Union Newspaper (with apologies to William Shakespeare) the gentleman "doth protest too much, me thinks.”  As you read our response to Mr. Diaz, keep in mind that all the NCTP is guilty of is encouraging voters to protect their vote as best they can by voting in person.

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An Open Letter to Greg Diaz, Nevada County Clerk-Recorder

 

Re: Your attack on the Nevada County Tea Party (NCTP)

in “Other Voices” on March 11

 

It is not now, and never has been, the intent of the NCTP to suppress any legitimate vote. We deny your accusation to the contrary, Mr. Diaz. NCTP’s sole purpose in encouraging qualified voters to vote in person, rather than by mail, is to protect their vote as best they can; and to ensure that only legitimate votes are counted. 

 

It is shameful and a blot on the Elections Office that you, as Nevada County’s public servant in charge of elections have demonized NCTP’s motives. You set aside facts and any ideas, opinions and concerns, other than your own. You penned an article that is stunning in its mean-spirited rhetoric. Clearly, you have fallen far short of the impartiality, cooperative spirit and maturity expected of an elected employee.  One must wonder - Why? 

 

The mandates of the 1993 National Voter Registration Act and the highly-publicized problems implementing the New Motor Voter program leave no doubt that a huge number of non-citizens have found their way onto the voter rolls, in defiance of federal and state law.

 

Years of research and irrefutable documentation by EIP-CA and others produced insurmountable evidence in federal court proving non-compliance with voter regs that could theoretically lead to fraud. They also proved that, in California, county and state voter rolls are woefully littered with duplicates, deceased, and inactive “ineligible” voters in California entries to the tune of 3 to 4 million ineligible voters.

 

As a result of a lawsuit, the California Secretary of State was forced to settle and agree to clean-up its voter rolls in 2019 in every California county, including Nevada County.

 

Given this backdrop, it is folly to fail to acknowledge the proven problem of vote-by-mail ballots and other election issues. When illegitimate ballots are mailed, returned and counted, which include ineligible registrants, the civil rights of legitimate voters are violated, and their vote diluted.

 

That you admonished voters to beware of turning their ballots over to a harvester is to your credit. Presidential Commissions have also made it clear that it is a legitimate and appropriate public service of election officials to ensure the individual’s informed choice by alerting voters to the potential problems inherent in voting-by-mail versus voting in person .  No process is so perfect that it cannot benefit from scrutiny and carefully considered change.

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Mr. Diaz you stated in your article “Let me make it clear: In Nevada County your vote — your ballot — is safe.” However, this statement brings up several questions.

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In March 2016 an audit by Institute For Fair Elections determined there were 1,223 “ghost ballots” (number of votes exceed number of registered voters) cast in Nevada County.  Has this been rectified? 

 

Despite a formal Public Records Request, you, Mr. Diaz, wouldn't allow the Voter Integrity Project Nevada County to audit the ballots from the 2018 primary even though the audit was approved by his office and the County Attorney and most of the requested information had been provided.  What is the purpose of a Public Records Request if the public is not allowed to see the records? Why are ballots kept for 22 months?

 

Public records reveal that you requested 253,000 ballots for 68,000 registered voters for the June 2018 primary. That’s almost four ballots per registrant. Why order 185,000 more state ballots than we have registered voters? Are you able to account for all of these ballots?

 

Could the extra ballots be the reason for Nevada County’s highest voter turnout ever?

 

Can someone tell us why, apparently without the People’s permission, was Nevada County made a vote-by-mail county?

 

Mr. Diaz, in the spirit of cooperation, we ask for you to restore public confidence in the Nevada County Elections office by reinstating the audit you recently cancelled and answer the questions we recently sent you concerning ballot harvesting and chain of custody. We’re sure we can all agree that sunlight is the best disinfectant.

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