Continued Intimidation of voters
In their efforts to pass the Measure N Vacancy Tax, now vigilantes are terrorizing our local residents who are exercising their legal right to vote at their residences here in South Lake Tahoe by fools who
do not know or understand the laws governing voter registration. These terrorists have engaged in posting threatening letters on the property of newly registered South Lake Tahoe voters accusing them of voter fraud even though these self-appointed criminals have no actual knowledge of their victims true legal status. These threats included personal data from restricted sources such as the Secretary of States/County voter registration records and the county assessor’s office. These victims have a right to
be frightened by being singled out as targets, no-one can tell how crazy these criminals actually are. I hope the police are able to identify and arrest them.
Anyone receiving one of these messages, please contact the SLTPD at and John Messina at TahoeTaxpayer@gmail.com
The responsibility for this really falls on one person, Bill O’Neil, because he was appointed by the El Dorado Board of Supervisors to be our Registrar, even though he didn’t understand the laws he is supposed to be enforcing.
Even after the very clear requirements stated in the August 8, 2024 letter from the El Dorado County District Attorney and Register of Voters (below), Heather Stroud continues to try misleading the public. She even manages to conclude it with a quote from a non-existent website alleged to belong to the No on N campaign. Neither the website nor the quotation seems to exist.
To further contradict Heather’s statements, the Secretary of State’s latest updates to the requirements to register and vote in California DO NOT even mention a “domicile or any requirement specifying a “domicile”.
This all began when Bill O’Neil got it wrong in the Fallen Leaf Lake letter September 19, 2011, because he was apparently unaware of the Federal Help America Vote Act (HAVA) Civil Rights Division | The National Voter Registration Act Of 1993 (NVRA) (justice.gov) was signed into law by
President George W. Bush On October 29, 2002 that created new mandatory minimum voter registration standards for states to follow twenty-two years ago.
El Dorado Deputy District Attorney Miles B. Perry’s August 8, 2024 letter provides a better and more accurate explanation that eliminated the obsolete jargon about “domicile”, “primary residence” and “full time residence” all of which were eliminated by the Help America Vote Act. Proof of residency
such as Driver’s License and vehicle registration (among others) are sufficient to establish residency for voter registration provided that they are not currently claiming a Homeowner’s deduction on another residence (They are not required to claim the deduction on any home).
Bill O’Neil even had the audacity to threaten 128 registered voters with prosecution because they requested their ballots be sent to addresses that were not in the city of South Lake Tahoe, even though it is perfectly legal for them to do so. After Bill O’Neil created this misinformation, it was picked up and spread by the Mountain News writer, Kathryn Reed, who failed to fact check her work. Using that news article, it was repeated on many news stations by Amelia Richmond even after she was given the corrected information. Nick Speal, Scott Robbins and Amelia Richmond used that misinformation to threaten, frighten and intimidate voters who have a lawful right to vote here. They were able to get away with it because Bill O’Neil is not willing to admit he was wrong, even though he was corrected by the El Dorado District Attorney’s office which issued a new explanation of the voter registration laws that apply to voters with more than one residence and wish to register to vote at their South Lake Tahoe residence.
Can we trust our ballots to be counted correctly by a man who doesn’t even understand the laws he is supposed to be enforcing? Residents should demand that Bill O’Neil be replaced with someone more competent to handle our elections at Telephone (530) 621-5652 · Kim Dawson, Clerk of the Board
kim.dawson@edcgov.us and District 5 – Supervisor Brooke Laine phone: (530) 621-6577 email: bosfive@edcgov.us
LATEST MISINFORMATION FROM Mountain News
Registrar of voters Bill O’Neil was intimidating voters, preventing them from registering to vote at their own residences.
Events creating the confusion
People ask, “Is it legal to change your voter registration to vote against the Vacancy Tax?” I can not give you legal advice, but can try to provide you with some knowledge about the laws governing the issue so you can make an informed decision of your own. You may wish to consult with your attorney.
To be clear, I do not encourage anyone to change their voter domicile illegally.
IF YOU CHOOSE TO REGISTER OR RE-REGISTER
The legal statutes are ambiguous, we are trying to obtain a clarification.
The determining factor always comes down to intent as specified by Cal. Elec. Code Article 2. Determination of Residence and Domicile § 2021 – Temporary purposes and § 349- Residence Defined.
It is sad that county officials seem more concerned about prosecuting people who don’t understand the convoluted laws on this issue than to clarify the mishmash of laws that even lawyers and legislators cannot understand.
I have reached out to both the El Dorado District Attorney, Vern Pierson and the County Registrar of Voters, Bill O’Neil in an attempt to provide some clarification. Neither of them has been willing to work with me on a solution.
I have further reached out to the Secretary of State and the Attorney General Rob Bonta (D). The only result was the redistribution of threats and intimidation from our Register of Voters, Bill O’Neil.
My webservice seems to be having issues. You may need to reload pages to see the PDF files. Sorry, no control over this.
Final clarification on where you can register and vote from Secretary of State’s office.
Clarification on where you can register to vote in California
Letter to El Dorado County Board of Supervisors
Lies, Lies, Lies
Tahoe officials to second homeowners: Don’t vote here (sfgate.com)
SF Gate “Tahoe officials crack down on suspicious voter registrations as battle on second homes heats up“. (By Julie Brown Davis, Tahoe Editor, June 18,2024) We are very disappointed that SF Gate is flagrantly publishing lies.
Amelia Richmond, co-founder of Loacals for Affordable Housing, who is also the proponent of the South Lake Tahoe Vacancy Tax measure, is telling people that “Only full-time residents are eligible to vote in South Lake Tahoe elections.”
This is not true and definitely not from the Elections Code. This amounts to intimidation of voters with an outright lie in violation of both California and Federal law.
This is the type of negative impact that has resulted from Bill O’Neill’s intimidation of voters wishing to register at their Tahoe residences.
06-21-24 Tahoe Tribune published Letter_ Registrar of Voters is intimidating eligible voters
El Dorado County DA and Registrar of Voters 06-14-24
STN El Dorado County DA and Registrar of Voters
Registrar of Voters Bill O’Neil – Response to Messina’s letter (excerpt)
“There is a misconception that not being able to vote in a vacation home area is taxation without representation, but it is not. They still have resprentation from the County Supervisor Brooke Laine, and state and federal repsentation they can contact to redress their greivances.”
Messina letter to O’Neil for clarification
Registrar of Voters, Bill O’Neil re-released letter
News Article – Falsely changing address to vote is fraudulent
Mountain News resurrect the letter again
The letter was resurrected during the Measure T controversy. Anyone with news articles, please send them to me.
Lake Tahoe News – Fallen Leaf Lake voter controversy
DA Vern Pierson letter that started all the controversy
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