Posted on Jul 15, 2020
Kansas Rep. Steve Watkins Charged With Felonies Over Voter Registration At UPS Store
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Just weeks before his first primary to defend his congressional seat, U.S. Rep. Steve Watkins is facing multiple charges stemming from him registering to vote using the address of a UPS storefront.
The charges were filed Tuesday, before the freshman Republican appeared in a debate with two GOP challengers.
Shawnee County District Attorney Mike Kagay filed multiple felony counts against Watkins: interference with law enforcement; providing false information; voting without being qualified; and unlawful advance voting. He was also charged with a misdemeanor for failing to tell the Department of Motor Vehicles about a change of address.
The charges stem from a ballot Watkins cast in a local election last year.
In December, The Topeka Capital-Journal reported that Watkins used a UPS store address on his voter registration. The congressman listed his official residence as a UPS Store in Topeka on a change-of-address form for voter registration in August 2019. Then, he signed an application for a mail-in ballot in October.
The charges were filed Tuesday, before the freshman Republican appeared in a debate with two GOP challengers.
Shawnee County District Attorney Mike Kagay filed multiple felony counts against Watkins: interference with law enforcement; providing false information; voting without being qualified; and unlawful advance voting. He was also charged with a misdemeanor for failing to tell the Department of Motor Vehicles about a change of address.
The charges stem from a ballot Watkins cast in a local election last year.
In December, The Topeka Capital-Journal reported that Watkins used a UPS store address on his voter registration. The congressman listed his official residence as a UPS Store in Topeka on a change-of-address form for voter registration in August 2019. Then, he signed an application for a mail-in ballot in October.
Kansas Rep. Steve Watkins Charged With Felonies Over Voter Registration At UPS Store
Posted from npr.org
Voting
Elections
Republicans
Posted >1 y ago
Responses: 3
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SPC Kevin Ford
1SG (Join to see) Perhaps he no longer has an address in Kansas?
Edit to add: Reread the article. It looks like he wanted to vote in a different district than his Kansas home. I.e. one that had a close race. If so, that would actually be purposeful voter fraud instead of some accident.
Edit to add: Reread the article. It looks like he wanted to vote in a different district than his Kansas home. I.e. one that had a close race. If so, that would actually be purposeful voter fraud instead of some accident.
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Isn't it interesting how it's always the Republicans who get caught committing voter fraud? I guess they really do know what they're talking about.
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PO1 William "Chip" Nagel
SGT Edward Wilcox Amazing Isn't It. I Guess that is why they Assume the Other Side is since they do it so Often.
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SPC Kevin Ford
PO1 William "Chip" Nagel SGT Edward Wilcox It's not just on this issue. I think what happens is they end up believing the BS the make up about the other side and then think, "Well if they are going to do it, I might as well do it too." Then they find out it isn't so easy to get away with. The reason why the Democrats aren't getting caught left and right isn't because of some big conspiracy, they just aren't doing it very much.
Though I don't see from the article that he double voted or anything. It may just be he didn't maintain an address in Kansas anymore (or something similar) and knew that it would be hard to be a Kansas Rep with an out of state address and license. He wouldn't even be able to vote for himself, if that were the case.
Edit to add: Ah I see, he did still have an address in Kansas. He just changed to a different district to impact that race. That is scummy.
Though I don't see from the article that he double voted or anything. It may just be he didn't maintain an address in Kansas anymore (or something similar) and knew that it would be hard to be a Kansas Rep with an out of state address and license. He wouldn't even be able to vote for himself, if that were the case.
Edit to add: Ah I see, he did still have an address in Kansas. He just changed to a different district to impact that race. That is scummy.
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SGT Edward Wilcox
The problem has never been requiring a photo ID to vote. The problem comes in when the states make it so difficult, almost impossible, to procure a photo ID that is acceptable.
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