'Mischief-makers' asked not to vote

Posted Monday, February 2, 2004 - 1:27 am

By Paul Alongi
STAFF WRITER
palongi@greenvillnews.com

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Voters from any party will be allowed to cast ballots Tuesday in the Democratic presidential primary, but the chairman of the state Democratic Party is asking one group to stay away.

GOP mischief-makers.

Joe Erwin, the chairman, said Sunday he welcomes votes from independents and "disaffected" Republicans who "seriously" support one of the Democratic candidates. But he said loyal Republicans who want to fill ballot boxes with votes for the weakest candidates aren't welcome.

"To me, that's mischief-making, if Republicans vote for that purpose," Erwin said. "That is a lack of personal integrity."

Voters are asked to sign a pledge swearing they consider themselves to be Democrats. The party has been using the pledge since 1976 to ensure that voters don't cast ballots in two primaries on the same day, Erwin said.

That wouldn't be possible Tuesday because only Democrats are holding a presidential primary.

Erwin said he isn't worried that Republicans will skew the results of the election.

"The number of people that would bother to do that is so small, it would not make any difference," he said.

Monday, February 23