As someone who has had the experience of being on the receiving end of this email, as well as having had people ask me about it, I’m glad the Texas Democratic Party is getting some press coverage of this story:

An e-mail circulating throughout Texas and apparently targeting supporters of Democrat Barack Obama falsely warns voters that casting a straight-ticket Democratic ballot won’t register a vote for Obama.

Democratic leaders are crying foul. First, it’s not true, they say.

Second, they worry it could cause Texans using eSlate electronic voting machines to inadvertently cancel out their presidential preference or make people so confused they decide not to cast a straight-party ballot at all, potentially eliminating votes for Democratic candidates in state and county races.

“For those who normally vote ‘Straight Democratic’, please pay close attention!!!!!” states the e-mail, obtained Wednesday by The Associated Press.

“I was informed this weekend by a group of Obama volunteers that when voting for the presidential candidate this November, you have to make sure you punch Barack’s name first, then proceed to punch ‘Straight Democratic’ or else the vote for the president won’t count,” the e-mail says.

Quite the opposite, says Texas Democratic Party spokesman Hector Nieto.

With eSlate, punching the button for presidential candidate Obama in addition to punching the straight-ticket button will actually cancel the Obama vote, Nieto said. Other individual candidates chosen also would be “deselected” on such a straight-ticket ballot, he said.

State party officials have posted a warning message on their Web site and encourage straight-party voting as a way to ensure Obama — and other Democrats on the ballot — get a vote.

Harris County Democratic Chairman Gerry Birnberg sent out a warning e-mail of his own. Harris County uses eSlate equipment and includes Houston, the state’s largest and generally Democratic city.

“THIS IS FALSE INFORMATION probably initiated by Republican dirty tricksters, but now being spread by well-meaning Barack Obama supporters,” Birnberg’s e-mail says.

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