How did this dog living in Seattle, Washington, become a registered voter? What part, if any, did his democratic owner play? What does this mean for the country and for dogs who mean well everywhere?
According to
The Associated Press, Duncan McDonald, an Australian shepherd-terrier mix, was sent three absentee ballots for three elections before he was finally removed from the voter rolls! The King County Elections Director, Sherri Huff, said she cancelled the voter registration for the dog owned by Jane Balogh, 66, who registered Duncan to protest a change in the law that she felt made it too easy for non-citizens to cast ballots. (Are dogs non-citizens?)
To make her point, Balogh put her phone bill in the dog's name, then used that as identification when she mailed in the registration form in April 2006. In November, she wrote "VOID" across Duncan's ballot and returned it with an image of a paw print on the signature line. Even after she admitted the ruse when an election official called, Duncan (who has since developed anarchist tendencies) was still sent absentee ballots for school bond elections in February and in May!
Bobby Egan, an elections office spokeswoman said:
"Quite frankly, the process did take too long, and it should have been addressed after the November election."
The removal came three weeks after Balogh was charged in King County Superior Court with making a false or misleading statement to a public servant, which is a misdemeanor. She pleaded not guilty.
One question remains:
Were Duncan’s civil rights violated and he will sue for damages?
Only time will tell.
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