Will Voter Outreach Include The Dead In Congressional Race?

In an amusing nightmare, I can see it, polling places in District 28, in the bitter race between Henry Cuellar and Ciro Rodriguez, filled with new voters -- dead ones. Its voter outreach in a big way, like the old LBJ days, like a George A. Romero "Night of the Living Dead" movie.

This image came to mind when I read the latest Dallas Morning News article on the hard fought and bitter race in the South Texas congressional district.



The story explains how former congressman Ciro Rodriguez aka "the blogger's champion" maintains his campaign office in a building that used to house a funeral home. As the DMN story puts it:

"There's something odd about the Rodriguez campaign headquarters, a drafty, rundown structure on San Antonio's south side.

Turns out it used to be a funeral home, not usually the symbolism most candidates want, but Mr. Rodriguez likes it, given his contention that "dead voters" cemented his loss two years ago.

On election night, he led by 145 votes. Mr. Cuellar demanded a recount. More than 400 ballots turned up in Zapata and Webb counties - Cuellar country. The next five months saw two recounts and four court rulings.

Mr. Rodriguez said he has no doubt the election was stolen, and it takes little prodding to unleash a torrent of venom about his opponent."

The question remains, in a tightly fought race will the dead be the difference in the election? I know that the Secretary of State and the Department of Justice have been called in but maybe someone should place armed guards at local cemeteries to make sure those pesky dead voters don't mess in the election.

The real solution is for living voters to get off their duffs and vote in such numbers that we neutralize the dead. I hate to be a partisan, but I do think the living should have the greater voice in this election.