The Story of Norman Siegel

Norman Siegel is 84 years old. He is known as a "snowbird" because he maintains a residence in both New York and the sunny environs of Pinellas Park, Florida. The New York Daily News called him recently.

Reached at his Florida home, Siegel interrupted a News reporter who was telling him that thousands of people are registered to vote in both states.

"That's illegal," Siegel interjected. "You have to pick one place as your residence and vote there."

Told that the records show he maintains registrations in both places, Siegel said he had not voted in Florida, then said he had not voted in New York.

When he was told that records show he has voted in both places, Siegel cut off the conversation. "I have to go," he said.

Turns out that Siegel is not the only octogenarian who is basking in the electoral benefits of both states. According to the News, about 46,000 New Yorkers have dual state registration in the Empire state and the Sunshine state.

As Siegel noted during his aborted coversation with the News reporter: It's illegal. Actually casting ballots in both places is punishable by up to 5 years in the hookie and 10,000 simoleons.

While I'm sure we'll be hearing more about this phenomenon in the lead up to the election, I'm not sure we'll actually see anything done about it. Afterall, which candidate wants to raise publicly the specter of hauling grandma off to prison? Might not boost the get out the vote effort among the senior set.

After the election, however, all bets are off. If Florida is once again the hinge on which the presidency turns, I wouldn't be surprised to see the paddy wagon backing up to the Sunny Acres Senior Home.

Via Political Wire