Mont. Dems sue over GOP vote challenge

HELENA, Mont., Oct. 6 (UPI) -- The Montana Democratic Party and two voters have filed suit aimed at shutting down a Republican challenge of thousands of voter registrations.

The Democrats, along with registered voters Joseph Breitenbach and Cynthia Anne Greene, both of Missoula, filed the suit in U.S. federal court Monday, alleging the GOP challenge of registered voters who changed their addresses recently is intended to suppress voter turnout, the (Helena, Mont.) Independent Record reported.

Caleb Weaver, a Montana spokesman for the campaign of Democratic presidential nominee Barack Obama -- which is assisting in the lawsuit -- said the Montana Republican Party challenges "are a transparent and very likely unsuccessful attempt" to deter voters from showing up at the polls on Election Day.

The Republican challenge involves an estimated 6,000 Montanans who have moved since they last registered to vote, the newspaper said. The GOP challenges are targeted to six counties the report said are heavily Democratic -- Missoula, Lewis and Clark, Silver Bow, Deer Lodge, Glacier and Hill.

Republicans said the challenges are meant to prevent voter fraud.