I might add: Nobody’s forcing you to vouch for a stranger. If you don’t think it’s moral, don’t do it. Trust no one, if you must live by those rules.

As for me, I’ll use my best judgement. If I’ve at least seen the person around, I’m happy to be the friendly face in line. I don’t want anyone turned away from the polls because nobody will vouch for them.

One year I couldn’t sufficiently prove I lived where I lived after moving. I was so incensed that I couldn’t vote before the polls closed. I was too mad and too shy to ask anyone to vouch for me. I don’t want that to happen to anyone.

“Vouching” for someone you don’t know is a resident is dishonest. Just because you think you recognize a face from the grocery store last week doesn’t mean that person is a resident.

This is a system that lends itself to massive abuse potential, as you yourself admitted.

Granted, the vouch system is vulnerable to fraud. Power Line has previously posted about proposed legislation to limit the number of people you can vouch for, which might not be a bad idea. I think the spirit of the vouch system is neighbors helping neighbors, rather than allowing an organizer vouch for an unlimited number of people.

Vouching is a long-honored and legal tradition in Minnesota. Nobody is “prepositioning” anybody – volunteers that live in the same district can legally vouch for their neighbors.

More info and sane, balanced discussion here: http://www.newpatriot.org/2004/10/bullet-points-of-mess.html#comments