Death and prison fail to knock hundreds of people off voter registration lists

TULSA, Okla. (AP) -- People who died up to 10 years ago still show up on Oklahoma voter rolls and thousands of felons, some of them still in prison, still appear on state voter registration lists, according to a published report.

A computer analysis of state voter registration rolls conducted by the Tulsa World found that neither death nor prison has knocked hundreds of people off the rolls despite laws requiring that their names be purged.

The analysis identified the names of 2,365 voters who have died but whose names were never purged from the rolls.

The newspaper reported that ballots were cast in the name of former Tulsa resident Ezekiel Mack in both the November 1998 and Nov. 7 general elections. Mack's shaky signature appears in the Nov. 7 precinct voter registration book, indicating that three ballots were issued in his name.

But Mack, who was born March 3, 1937, died Feb. 25, 1990.

Ezekiel Mack Sr., 87, confirmed that it was his son who died.

The elder Mack, who shares the same address as his son, said he also voted Nov. 7.

Voter registration records reflect only one Ezekiel Mack, born in 1937.

"I don't know what they did, but I voted," Mack Sr. said when asked about the mix-up.

Records indicate that five other Tulsa County voters who have died had votes cast in their names in elections dating back to 1996. Statewide, at least 27 deceased voters have had ballots cast in their names during the same time period.

The names of dead and eligible voters were matched by comparing the names, addresses and dates of births with records maintained by the state Election Board, the Social Security Death Index and other computerized state records.

In addition, the World reported that thousands of felons are listed on voter registration rolls. While Oklahoma state law permits felons to vote in elections, they cannot register to vote until a period of time "equal to the original judgment and sentence has expired."

In one example, Lawrence S. Tait is serving a life prison sentence for sexually abusing a teen-age girl, but his name appeared on a list of eligible voters as late as Nov. 7.

The 53-year-old was convicted in 1996 of sexually abusing a teen-age girl and molesting her sister. Tait is serving a life sentence at the Mack Alford Correctional Center in Stringtown, but the former Broken Arrow resident continues to show up on voter rolls.

Five other felons currently serving life sentences and one former Tulsan who has been living on death row since 1995 were identified on voter rolls.

State Election Board Secretary Lance Ward said changes in federal election laws, vague state laws and a general hesitancy to purge voters in questionable cases all add up to ineligible voters continuing to show up on rolls.

Oklahoma has 2.2 million registered voters. Oklahoma purges voters who fail to vote in at least eight years if they haven't responded to a series of mailings from their local election board.

But the so-called federal Motor Voter law prohibits states from purging voters even if they don't vote, provided the mailings are returned indicating that the voter is still alive.

The next purge is scheduled in January.