Posted on Tue, Nov. 06, 2007
Flier appears to be attempt to lower Hispanic turnout

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A bogus election flier that gives the wrong day for Election Day raised alarm bells among local officials Monday. Featuring the county logo and the county Elections Office "Tarrant Votes" logo, the flier urges voters in English and Spanish to vote on Saturday, Nov. 10. Election Day is today.

The flier is marked "Official Notice" across the top and specifically mentions the state's constitutional amendments and the Fort Worth City Council District 9 race. The flier has been distributed to voters in the predominantly Hispanic neighborhoods of Rosemont and Worth Heights in south Fort Worth, county officials said. Both neighborhoods are in District 9.

Six candidates are running to represent District 9 in a special election. Councilwoman Wendy Davis resigned over the summer to pursue a state Senate seat.

The Tarrant County district attorney's office has assigned two investigators to collect information on who distributed the flier, said Marvin Collins, chief of the office's civil division. So far, county officials have very little information. "If the intent was to confuse people, then that was a despicable thing to do," Tarrant County Elections Administrator Steve Raborn said.

The city of Fort Worth is contacting the neighborhoods' homeowners associations and encouraging them to notify voters that Election Day is today.

For years, reports of the use of fliers with inaccurate information to suppress voter turnout have cropped up around the country. In 2002, a flier distributed in African-American neighborhoods in Baltimore reportedly gave the wrong Election Day date and said voters must pay any parking tickets and overdue rent before voting. "To my knowledge, this is a first in Tarrant County," Raborn said.

Alonzo Aguilar of Worth Heights found the flier in his yard Sunday morning. He was instantly confused by what he read, he said, and wondered whether it was possible that the election date had changed.

Collins urged anyone with information on who made or distributed the flier to call the economic crimes section of the district attorney's office at 817-884-1661.