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Homeless Given Food To Sign Ballot Petitions
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| For several months, workers behind this booth at Sixth and San Julian streets have given noodles, soda and candy (bottom right) to Skid Row residents for signing petitions for ballot initiatives. Paying for a petition signature is a misdemeanor. Photo by Gary Leonard. |
Contractors Target Skid Row Residents to Qualify Initiatives
by Evan George
It was about 10 a.m. on Tuesday, Oct. 16, when Fred Crawford walked to the back of a short line at Sixth and San Julian streets on Skid Row. The queue, a dozen or so people on a trash-strewn sidewalk, crept forward, and when Crawford reached the front a clipboard was pushed in front of him. The 40-ish man, who currently lives on the street, signed his name and scribbled an address. When he finished, one of the men behind the table handed him a bag of Ruffles potato chips. Crawford opened it on the spot and lifted the bag to his mouth.
When asked later what he signed, Crawford said he was not sure. He described it only as related to gambling. Asked why he gave his signature, he said, "I think they should do it, why not?" while polishing off the snack.
Learning what Crawford signed may be impossible, considering that in recent months, separate petitions related to casinos and to Internet gambling have both been passed around Skid Row. They are two of the many initiatives that proponents are trying to place on state ballots in upcoming elections, a process that requires securing hundreds of thousands of signatures from registered voters.
Although it is illegal to exchange goods or valuables for signatures on ballot measures, a Los Angeles Downtown News investigation has discovered that petition drives aimed at the homeless and others on Skid Row have been occurring on a near daily basis. Many mornings, lines begin forming after dawn, say area service providers and residents. In return for signing petitions and filling out voter registration cards, homeless people and those in nearby shelters are given Ramen noodles, popcorn, Snickers bars, sodas and other items that might qualify as "payment."
The booth at Sixth and San Julian streets behind the Midnight Mission, and another one outside the Weingart Center near Sixth and San Pedro streets, are consistently busy. During a recent three-week period, each was seen more than half a dozen times.
Those manning the tables say they have come every other day for nearly a year to gather signatures. They also say there is never a shortage of people interested and that they fulfill a needed service.
In addition to the illegal aspects of exchanging goods for signatures, social service providers on Skid Row call the activity immoral and say it exploits a community with few resources.
"It's a concern and something we need to stop allowing to happen," said Gregg Scott, executive director of the Weingart Center. "They're actually preying on the homeless."
State election codes define the exchange of "payment or valuable considerations" for signatures as a misdemeanor. However, state and local officials say investigations into these kinds of operations are difficult and rare. This is partly because signature gathering for a ballot is a complex process - one that frequently involves a chain of independent contractors and subcontractors.
The Skid Row campaigns have been linked to a national petition management firm called JSM Inc., which has handled hotly contested petition campaigns and been accused of fraud in at least six states since 2004. The firm and its staff have never been convicted of wrongdoing.
Jennifer Breslin, the president of JSM Inc., currently based in Fullerton, was not available for comment, according to employees. A local coordinator who works for JSM denied knowing anything about the Skid Row locations or the exchange of food.
However, voter registration cards distributed at one of the Skid Row booths were tracked to JSM using serial numbers that are printed on each card. A spokeswoman for the California Secretary of State said they came from an order of 5,000 registration cards placed by Breslin.
People active in the petition industry said that does not automatically tie Breslin to the Skid Row activity. However, most agreed that such a situation is the responsibility of her firm and those paying her.
Some also said the situation in Skid Row is nothing new.
"I personally do know about this, I think everybody in the industry does," said one petition coordinator who asked not to be identified for fear of reprisal from companies she works with. "That is a primary spot," she said. "I've heard that for years."
Easy Money
In recent weeks, Downtown News observed petitions being gathered on Skid Row for four initiatives to be placed on ballots next year: two on eminent domain, one concerning bonds for children's hospitals, and another on electoral votes.
Petition gathering is a multi-tiered process. In general, when an individual or group wants to place an initiative on the ballot, they must gather signatures from a specified number of registered voters. Most hire one of a few firms specializing in petition gathering.
Then come the subcontractors. Numerous firms throughout the state manage droves of independent contractors, often without the knowledge of whoever is behind the original initiative.
Getting a proposition on a statewide ballot takes as many as 694,354 signatures. Petition workers often earn $2 to $3 per name.
One coordinator said she often writes checks to petition circulators for more than $1,000 a day.
Frequently seen outside supermarkets and malls, petition workers typically approach likely voters and try to persuade them to support placing a potential initiative on the ballot. Offering food outside of homeless shelters, by comparison, takes less time and effort.
Some observers see the Skid Row efforts as blatant, lucrative attempts at maximizing signatures by luring a desperate population.
"It's against the law to do this, and it clearly should be stopped," said Bob Stern, president of the nonprofit Center for Governmental Studies. "What they're finding here is an easy way to get signatures."
A spokesman for the City Attorney, who prosecutes misdemeanors within city limits, said the law is clear but that enforcement can be difficult.
"The line is there, but there are ways that it could be blurred," said Frank Mateljan, press deputy for City Attorney Rocky Delgadillo.
A spokesman for the Midnight Mission said signature gatherers had set up booths outside the mission's main entrance months ago and insisted they were simply registering people to vote.
"We actually invited them into our courtyard based on that discussion, [if] that's all they were doing," said Orlando Ward, the mission's director of public affairs. "They didn't want to do that, so that raised our suspicions a little bit."
Repeated Signatures
At both Skid Row locations, the scene appears the same: Circulators sit behind foldout tables with various petitions, voter registration cards and clipboards. Behind them are packaged food items and coolers filled with soda. Both operations had someone guarding the food.
Although some on Skid Row said they benefit from the giveaways, and even feel they are exercising their political rights, others who have signed in the past said they were angry.
More than a dozen people interviewed said they had also signed petitions to get food, filling out voter registration cards each time.
Darren Allen said he signed voter registration forms four times in the month and a half he has been living in nearby shelters. But he could not recall any of the ballot initiatives and said he had done it only "to get a candy bar."
Some of those interviewed said they had been asked to make up addresses and, in more than one instance, copy information or sign names that weren't theirs. Voter fraud, according to the L.A. County District Attorney's office, is a felony.
"I told them I'm not going to sign someone else's name on a voter registration card just for a soda pop, a candy bar and a cigarette," said Marvin Davis, who said he had signed once using his real name. "They didn't mention anything and never told me what it was for."
People working behind the booths said nothing illegal was taking place.
"All this does is get it on the ballot, so the voters can decide," said Richard Walker, who said he and some other circulators live in motels or on Skid Row.
A man who refused to identify himself, but appeared to be in charge of one booth, dropping off and picking up supplies, referred Downtown News to an area coordinator named Larry Ross. Contacted by phone, Ross denied knowledge of any booths on Skid Row or ones that trade food for signatures.
"I don't have employees, they're all independent contractors," Ross said. "I have no control over what independent contractors do, or how they do it."
Ross said he is paid to collect signatures primarily by JSM Inc. He collects the signatures from people he trains, verifies that they line up with registration cards and gives them to JSM, which pays him based on each signature as long as a certain percentage are considered valid, he said.
A circulator and coordinator for JSM named Joey, who refused to provide his last name, said the company "isn't in charge of anybody." He denied knowing about any Skid Row petition drives and said, "I am not an employee, I'm an independent operator and I don't do things like that."
Who Is in Charge?
Some of those in the petition gathering industry acknowledge that the system, with its chain of independent contractors, is set up to minimize responsibility. Still, many companies claim they combat illegal activity and take fraud seriously.
JSM is one of the most prominent signature collection firms, and is generally hired by even larger management companies. Fred Kimball of Kimball Petition Management said most ballot initiatives ultimately pass through JSM, which then hires contractors to work the street campaigns or oversee other subcontractors.
"I don't have a petition on the streets right now, but if I did and I found out that this was happening, it would be stopped," Kimball said about food given to homeless people for signatures.
Two other industry leaders, who have contracts to handle the four ballot initiatives seen circulating on Skid Row, said they would investigate the matter.
"This should be rooted out," said Mike Arno, whose Arno Political Consultants is paying JSM to collect signatures for three of the ballot initiatives: His firm is working on campaigns for children's hospitals, electoral votes and one concerning eminent domain. He called news of the Skid Row practice "disappointing."
Angelo Paparella, who heads the Santa Monica-based PCI, which is working on petition drives for a competing eminent domain initiative, said his company has no direct contract with JSM, but that he could ultimately be acquiring JSM-collected signatures through yet another subcontractor. He said he doubts that a company like JSM would sanction the targeting of homeless people with food.
"It sounds like it's just an individual renegade," Paparella said.
Still, days after being notified of the operation, Paparella said he sent an assistant to observe the Skid Row activity and alerted state officials.
Indictments are unlikely, said Nicole Winger, a spokeswoman for the Secretary of State. "We have not ever opened a case on this type of violation," said Winger, who added that city and county officials would likely be in charge of prosecution efforts.
Investigations on the local level number just a handful in the last five years, according to the L.A. County District Attorney's office. City investigators rarely open such cases either, said Mateljan, the spokesman for Delgadillo.
Only two of the groups behind the four current petitions could be reached for comment. Both expressed shock.
"We are tracking it down right now in an effort to stop it," said Richie Ross (no relation to the area coordinator for the booths), a spokeswoman for the supporters of the children's bond initiative.
Possible Fraud
Industry observers uniformly expressed concern over whether fraudulent voter registration is also at play. Groups associated with both major political parties routinely offer what is known as a "bounty" for every new voter registered.
When a bounty is in play, voter registration forms generally pay more than petitions, in some rare cases upwards of $20 a signature, according to a figure who owns a petition management firm. Political parties often pay high bounties to beef up their ranks before tight elections.
Officials say registering homeless people to vote, while legal, leaves room for voter fraud because many lack permanent addresses, mailing addresses, and don't frequently vote at polling places. When food is provided in exchange and petition workers don't explain what people are signing, chances for illegal activity also increase. If signature gatherers choose a registrant's party for them, illegally, many would never be notified.
In recent years, instances of voter fraud and forged petitions surfaced in San Bernardino, Riverside and San Diego counties when registered voters complained their political affiliation had been switched without their knowledge.
Ross, the area coordinator whose name was given by booth staffers, said he was not paid for voter registration cards, just the petitions. Other circulators, including one who spoke for JSM, said they too were only gathering petition signatures.
"We register people to vote to make petitions valid," Ross said.
Paparella and Arno said that forged petitions would not likely pass their verification process. Like others in the petition industry and the Downtown Los Angeles homeless services community, they said using food to gather signatures, and voter registration cards to make them valid, should be stopped.
Not everyone who stands in the food lines on Skid Row would be eager to see them go, however.
"It's just to keep people fed before lunch," said Twila Henderson. "Anytime they come, I put my name on it. It's all legit."
Another man, who declined to be identified, described the booths as a welcomed giveaway and a diversion for those on the street.
"It's just snacks and stuff, down here you need that kind of thing," he said. "I was hoping they would be down here today."
Contact Evan George at evan@downtownnews.com.
page 1, 11/5/2007
© Los Angeles Downtown News. Reprinting items retrieved from the archives are for personal use only. They may not be reproduced or retransmitted without permission of the Los Angeles Downtown News. If you would like to re-distribute anything from the Los Angeles Downtown News Archives, please call our permissions department at (213) 481-1448.
When asked later what he signed, Crawford said he was not sure. He described it only as related to gambling. Asked why he gave his signature, he said, "I think they should do it, why not?" while polishing off the snack.
Learning what Crawford signed may be impossible, considering that in recent months, separate petitions related to casinos and to Internet gambling have both been passed around Skid Row. They are two of the many initiatives that proponents are trying to place on state ballots in upcoming elections, a process that requires securing hundreds of thousands of signatures from registered voters.
Although it is illegal to exchange goods or valuables for signatures on ballot measures, a Los Angeles Downtown News investigation has discovered that petition drives aimed at the homeless and others on Skid Row have been occurring on a near daily basis. Many mornings, lines begin forming after dawn, say area service providers and residents. In return for signing petitions and filling out voter registration cards, homeless people and those in nearby shelters are given Ramen noodles, popcorn, Snickers bars, sodas and other items that might qualify as "payment."
The booth at Sixth and San Julian streets behind the Midnight Mission, and another one outside the Weingart Center near Sixth and San Pedro streets, are consistently busy. During a recent three-week period, each was seen more than half a dozen times.
Those manning the tables say they have come every other day for nearly a year to gather signatures. They also say there is never a shortage of people interested and that they fulfill a needed service.
In addition to the illegal aspects of exchanging goods for signatures, social service providers on Skid Row call the activity immoral and say it exploits a community with few resources.
"It's a concern and something we need to stop allowing to happen," said Gregg Scott, executive director of the Weingart Center. "They're actually preying on the homeless."
State election codes define the exchange of "payment or valuable considerations" for signatures as a misdemeanor. However, state and local officials say investigations into these kinds of operations are difficult and rare. This is partly because signature gathering for a ballot is a complex process - one that frequently involves a chain of independent contractors and subcontractors.
The Skid Row campaigns have been linked to a national petition management firm called JSM Inc., which has handled hotly contested petition campaigns and been accused of fraud in at least six states since 2004. The firm and its staff have never been convicted of wrongdoing.
Jennifer Breslin, the president of JSM Inc., currently based in Fullerton, was not available for comment, according to employees. A local coordinator who works for JSM denied knowing anything about the Skid Row locations or the exchange of food.
However, voter registration cards distributed at one of the Skid Row booths were tracked to JSM using serial numbers that are printed on each card. A spokeswoman for the California Secretary of State said they came from an order of 5,000 registration cards placed by Breslin.
People active in the petition industry said that does not automatically tie Breslin to the Skid Row activity. However, most agreed that such a situation is the responsibility of her firm and those paying her.
Some also said the situation in Skid Row is nothing new.
"I personally do know about this, I think everybody in the industry does," said one petition coordinator who asked not to be identified for fear of reprisal from companies she works with. "That is a primary spot," she said. "I've heard that for years."
In recent weeks, Downtown News observed petitions being gathered on Skid Row for four initiatives to be placed on ballots next year: two on eminent domain, one concerning bonds for children's hospitals, and another on electoral votes.
Petition gathering is a multi-tiered process. In general, when an individual or group wants to place an initiative on the ballot, they must gather signatures from a specified number of registered voters. Most hire one of a few firms specializing in petition gathering.
Then come the subcontractors. Numerous firms throughout the state manage droves of independent contractors, often without the knowledge of whoever is behind the original initiative.
Getting a proposition on a statewide ballot takes as many as 694,354 signatures. Petition workers often earn $2 to $3 per name.
One coordinator said she often writes checks to petition circulators for more than $1,000 a day.
Frequently seen outside supermarkets and malls, petition workers typically approach likely voters and try to persuade them to support placing a potential initiative on the ballot. Offering food outside of homeless shelters, by comparison, takes less time and effort.
Some observers see the Skid Row efforts as blatant, lucrative attempts at maximizing signatures by luring a desperate population.
"It's against the law to do this, and it clearly should be stopped," said Bob Stern, president of the nonprofit Center for Governmental Studies. "What they're finding here is an easy way to get signatures."
A spokesman for the City Attorney, who prosecutes misdemeanors within city limits, said the law is clear but that enforcement can be difficult.
"The line is there, but there are ways that it could be blurred," said Frank Mateljan, press deputy for City Attorney Rocky Delgadillo.
A spokesman for the Midnight Mission said signature gatherers had set up booths outside the mission's main entrance months ago and insisted they were simply registering people to vote.
"We actually invited them into our courtyard based on that discussion, [if] that's all they were doing," said Orlando Ward, the mission's director of public affairs. "They didn't want to do that, so that raised our suspicions a little bit."
At both Skid Row locations, the scene appears the same: Circulators sit behind foldout tables with various petitions, voter registration cards and clipboards. Behind them are packaged food items and coolers filled with soda. Both operations had someone guarding the food.
Although some on Skid Row said they benefit from the giveaways, and even feel they are exercising their political rights, others who have signed in the past said they were angry.
More than a dozen people interviewed said they had also signed petitions to get food, filling out voter registration cards each time.
Darren Allen said he signed voter registration forms four times in the month and a half he has been living in nearby shelters. But he could not recall any of the ballot initiatives and said he had done it only "to get a candy bar."
Some of those interviewed said they had been asked to make up addresses and, in more than one instance, copy information or sign names that weren't theirs. Voter fraud, according to the L.A. County District Attorney's office, is a felony.
"I told them I'm not going to sign someone else's name on a voter registration card just for a soda pop, a candy bar and a cigarette," said Marvin Davis, who said he had signed once using his real name. "They didn't mention anything and never told me what it was for."
People working behind the booths said nothing illegal was taking place.
"All this does is get it on the ballot, so the voters can decide," said Richard Walker, who said he and some other circulators live in motels or on Skid Row.
A man who refused to identify himself, but appeared to be in charge of one booth, dropping off and picking up supplies, referred Downtown News to an area coordinator named Larry Ross. Contacted by phone, Ross denied knowledge of any booths on Skid Row or ones that trade food for signatures.
"I don't have employees, they're all independent contractors," Ross said. "I have no control over what independent contractors do, or how they do it."
Ross said he is paid to collect signatures primarily by JSM Inc. He collects the signatures from people he trains, verifies that they line up with registration cards and gives them to JSM, which pays him based on each signature as long as a certain percentage are considered valid, he said.
A circulator and coordinator for JSM named Joey, who refused to provide his last name, said the company "isn't in charge of anybody." He denied knowing about any Skid Row petition drives and said, "I am not an employee, I'm an independent operator and I don't do things like that."
Some of those in the petition gathering industry acknowledge that the system, with its chain of independent contractors, is set up to minimize responsibility. Still, many companies claim they combat illegal activity and take fraud seriously.
JSM is one of the most prominent signature collection firms, and is generally hired by even larger management companies. Fred Kimball of Kimball Petition Management said most ballot initiatives ultimately pass through JSM, which then hires contractors to work the street campaigns or oversee other subcontractors.
"I don't have a petition on the streets right now, but if I did and I found out that this was happening, it would be stopped," Kimball said about food given to homeless people for signatures.
Two other industry leaders, who have contracts to handle the four ballot initiatives seen circulating on Skid Row, said they would investigate the matter.
"This should be rooted out," said Mike Arno, whose Arno Political Consultants is paying JSM to collect signatures for three of the ballot initiatives: His firm is working on campaigns for children's hospitals, electoral votes and one concerning eminent domain. He called news of the Skid Row practice "disappointing."
Angelo Paparella, who heads the Santa Monica-based PCI, which is working on petition drives for a competing eminent domain initiative, said his company has no direct contract with JSM, but that he could ultimately be acquiring JSM-collected signatures through yet another subcontractor. He said he doubts that a company like JSM would sanction the targeting of homeless people with food.
"It sounds like it's just an individual renegade," Paparella said.
Still, days after being notified of the operation, Paparella said he sent an assistant to observe the Skid Row activity and alerted state officials.
Indictments are unlikely, said Nicole Winger, a spokeswoman for the Secretary of State. "We have not ever opened a case on this type of violation," said Winger, who added that city and county officials would likely be in charge of prosecution efforts.
Investigations on the local level number just a handful in the last five years, according to the L.A. County District Attorney's office. City investigators rarely open such cases either, said Mateljan, the spokesman for Delgadillo.
Only two of the groups behind the four current petitions could be reached for comment. Both expressed shock.
"We are tracking it down right now in an effort to stop it," said Richie Ross (no relation to the area coordinator for the booths), a spokeswoman for the supporters of the children's bond initiative.
Industry observers uniformly expressed concern over whether fraudulent voter registration is also at play. Groups associated with both major political parties routinely offer what is known as a "bounty" for every new voter registered.
When a bounty is in play, voter registration forms generally pay more than petitions, in some rare cases upwards of $20 a signature, according to a figure who owns a petition management firm. Political parties often pay high bounties to beef up their ranks before tight elections.
Officials say registering homeless people to vote, while legal, leaves room for voter fraud because many lack permanent addresses, mailing addresses, and don't frequently vote at polling places. When food is provided in exchange and petition workers don't explain what people are signing, chances for illegal activity also increase. If signature gatherers choose a registrant's party for them, illegally, many would never be notified.
In recent years, instances of voter fraud and forged petitions surfaced in San Bernardino, Riverside and San Diego counties when registered voters complained their political affiliation had been switched without their knowledge.
Ross, the area coordinator whose name was given by booth staffers, said he was not paid for voter registration cards, just the petitions. Other circulators, including one who spoke for JSM, said they too were only gathering petition signatures.
"We register people to vote to make petitions valid," Ross said.
Paparella and Arno said that forged petitions would not likely pass their verification process. Like others in the petition industry and the Downtown Los Angeles homeless services community, they said using food to gather signatures, and voter registration cards to make them valid, should be stopped.
Not everyone who stands in the food lines on Skid Row would be eager to see them go, however.
"It's just to keep people fed before lunch," said Twila Henderson. "Anytime they come, I put my name on it. It's all legit."
Another man, who declined to be identified, described the booths as a welcomed giveaway and a diversion for those on the street.
"It's just snacks and stuff, down here you need that kind of thing," he said. "I was hoping they would be down here today."
Contact Evan George at evan@downtownnews.com.
page 1, 11/5/2007
© Los Angeles Downtown News. Reprinting items retrieved from the archives are for personal use only. They may not be reproduced or retransmitted without permission of the Los Angeles Downtown News. If you would like to re-distribute anything from the Los Angeles Downtown News Archives, please call our permissions department at (213) 481-1448.
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