“Voters in town once run by polygamous sect probably broke the law when they cast ballots, prosecutor says, but charges are unlikely”

The Salt Lake Tribune runs a story about potential improper registration in Colorado City (which, despite the name, is half of a community that straddles the Utah-Arizona boder). 

There are real problems of unlawful behavior in Colorado City.  But some of the anecdotes in the story seem to suggest a conflation of domicile and physical presence. As one example:

Lori Barlow acknowledges she was one person whose address was out of date yet voted anyway. She still lives in Colorado City in what she says is temporary housing.

Smith and Mohave County, Barlow said, have failed to appreciate the housing challenges in Colorado City, where many people loyal to imprisoned FLDS President Warren Jeffs have chosen to be evicted rather than deal with a local land trust that owns many of the homes.

“I did not change my address,” Barlow said, “because I had nothing to change it to.”

The story doesn’t state otherwise … but in most states, someone in Barlow’s apparent position is properly registered at her old address even if she no longer sleeps there at night, as long as she hasn’t yet established permanent residence elsewhere.

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