By SUSANNA RAY
Herald Writer
It’s another dumb e-mail hoax, but Internet-savvy voters apparently still haven’t figured out when to just sigh and push delete rather than forward it to everyone on their list.
E-mails are being widely circulated telling voters that because of the high turnout expected in Tuesday’s general election, Republicans are supposed to vote Tuesday, while Democrats and independents should vote Wednesday.
Another version of that hoax was posted to about 1,000 people on Democratic U.S. Senate candidate Maria Cantwell’s e-mail list on Friday. That one was turned around, telling Democrats to vote Tuesday, Republicans Wednesday and all other parties Thursday.
They just aren’t true.
"Polls will be open for all voters from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Nov. 7 only," state Elections Director Gary McIntosh said in a news release. "It is not possible for anyone to vote the day after the election."
The e-mail has appeared around the country, but the Secretary of State’s Office just got word Friday that it was circulating here. In a Los Angeles Times story that ran Tuesday, California officials said the e-mail’s creator could be guilty of voter fraud, a felony that carries a penalty of 16 months to three years in prison.
Election officials in Washington state also are taking the matter seriously and have referred it to the Attorney General’s Office and the Federal Election Commission.
"This is no joke," McIntosh said. "If a voter believes this message and waits until Nov. 8, it will be too late to vote."
A team from the U.S. Justice Department and the FBI will be on duty Tuesday while the polls are open to receive complaints of election fraud. In Everett, FBI agents can be reached at 425-252-3500.
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