Stop the fake slates!

[afmatt]

So we have fake slates showing up again in Nevada and Maine. This tactic is not going to go away - it's only going to get more sophisticated.

So - lets fight fire with..... uniqueness.

Who is responsible for providing these slates? Are they grassroots projects or are they coming from the campaign?

I'd suggest that moving forward that we get some sort of custom hologram stickers made that we can put on the REAL slates.
Example (http://www.amazon.com/CUSTOM-DOGBONE-HOLOGRAM-LABELS-STICKERS/dp/B006WAA12Y/ref=sr_1_7?s=office-products&ie=UTF8&qid=1336249626&sr=1-7)

Anyone else have ideas on how to keep the Romney campaign from using the fake slate tactic?

[CaptainAmerica]

I expect Arizona to have fake slates as well as a black out list. In 2008 the mccain camp printed and handed out blackout lists during the voting session...every 5 minutes a new list would come out with blacked out names.

[Titus]

The campaigns provide the slates. If you look at the bottom of the real Maine slate, it has some language about being paid for by a Ron Paul corp. While I agree with the holograms in principle, is there a cheaper method? Raised imprint perhaps? That's similar to a birth certificate.

[afmatt]

The campaigns provide the slates. If you look at the bottom of the real Maine slate, it has some language about being paid for by a Ron Paul corp. While I agree with the holograms in principle, is there a cheaper method? Raised imprint perhaps? That's similar to a birth certificate.

Imprints could work - and I agree it would be much cheaper to implement. A couple of the following with the campaign logo would set the campaign back <$150.
Source1 (http://www.stationeryprintshop.com/sturdydeskembosserwithyourcustomartworklogo.aspx)
Source2 (http://www.engravecon.com/embosserlogo.htm)

[drummergirl]

The fake slates tactic is as old as the hills and relies on getting an advance copy of the opposition's delegate list somehow. The easiest way is to pay the printer for the information, but if the lists are distributed for some time before the convention, someone might simply pick one up.

If you'll notice in Nevada, the real lists have a statement at the bottom "paid for by RonPaul2012...."

So....

Ways to avoid/combat this are to post slates on official websites, use FB, twitter, email and text messaging to post slates and any updates (like watch out for fake slates on pink paper, etc.).

The other thing is to be very, very careful about who your printer is. Make them sign a non-disclosure statement.

Stickers from a printer in another state might be a good safety measure too.

And remember, once the slates are handed out, if it's more than a few hours before the voting, someone could pick one up, go make a fake, get to a kinkos and print a couple thousand copies, get back to the convention and start distributing.

Real Ron Paul volunteers should wear name tags so people know who they got the list from.

[NikolayaRadchenkova]

I'd do 3 things:

1) Get watermarked paper. It doesn't cost that much and is impossible for Romney to fake in one day. I'd have 3 things watermarked into the paper: campaign logo, "Ron Paul 2012" and the name of the state. Also, use a different color in each state and change the position, font and position of the watermarks for every state. Getting custom watermarked paper isn't that expensive, it costs about $150 for a pack of 500 sheets, and I'm sure the campaign can get it cheaper if they order bulk.

2) Have all the printed pages embossed with the campaign logo and the name of the state. Again, it's cheap and impossible for Romney's people to fake in one day. Make the seal a bit different for every state: for put Ron Paul 2012 at the top and the name of the state at the bottom in one state, then switch those around for a different state. That way the Romney campaign can't make a fake one in advance. An electronic embosser with different dies for each state would probably be best because it saves a lot of time.

3) Put a link on the slate to an official campaign page where the slate can be updated and notices put out about fake slates and information on how to tell if the slate you have is real. Have this link spread by email, twitter, FB, etc. in addition to being printed on the slate paper.

These are 3 easy and relatively inexpensive ways to safeguard our slates.

[UtahApocalypse]

I'd do 3 things:

1) Get watermarked paper. It doesn't cost that much and is impossible for Romney to fake in one day. I'd have 3 things watermarked into the paper: campaign logo, "Ron Paul 2012" and the name of the state. Also, use a different color in each state and change the position, font and position of the watermarks for every state. Getting custom watermarked paper isn't that expensive, it costs about $150 for a pack of 500 sheets, and I'm sure the campaign can get it cheaper if they order bulk.

2) Have all the printed pages embossed with the campaign logo and the name of the state. Again, it's cheap and impossible for Romney's people to fake in one day. Make the seal a bit different for every state: for put Ron Paul 2012 at the top and the name of the state at the bottom in one state, then switch those around for a different state. That way the Romney campaign can't make a fake one in advance. An electronic embosser with different dies for each state would probably be best because it saves a lot of time.

3) Put a link on the slate to an official campaign page where the slate can be updated and notices put out about fake slates and information on how to tell if the slate you have is real. Have this link spread by email, twitter, FB, etc. in addition to being printed on the slate paper.

These are 3 easy and relatively inexpensive ways to safeguard our slates.

Hope the campaign will do all three of these

[JakeH]

I think one of the easiest things to do is for people to know what to look for on the REAL slates. The "Paid for by Ron Paul 2012" on the bottom of the real slates is a dead giveaway....don't trust any slate that doesn't have that on it.

[slamhead]

So we have fake slates showing up again in Nevada and Maine. This tactic is not going to go away - it's only going to get more sophisticated.

So - lets fight fire with..... uniqueness.

Who is responsible for providing these slates? Are they grassroots projects or are they coming from the campaign?

I'd suggest that moving forward that we get some sort of custom hologram stickers made that we can put on the REAL slates.
Example (http://www.amazon.com/CUSTOM-DOGBONE-HOLOGRAM-LABELS-STICKERS/dp/B006WAA12Y/ref=sr_1_7?s=office-products&ie=UTF8&qid=1336249626&sr=1-7)

Anyone else have ideas on how to keep the Romney campaign from using the fake slate tactic?

I had just started a similar thread. I just suggested last minute changes to the real slates...different color paper or stamped with a seal, which could be an embossed seal.