In what's shaping up to be more than just a stroke of mischief, the names of rap heavyweights Drake and 50 Cent, along with Chris Brown, Trey Songz, and The Game, have popped up registered to vote under the same roof in a quiet suburban corner of Katy, and it's causing quite the stir. According to a report by the Houston Chronicle, an unidentified prankster managed to get the five Grammy-nominated artists on the voter rolls at a single $300,000 family home.
An expert in the matter pointed out that all five voter registration applications bore the same handwriting raising eyebrows and questions about the integrity of voter registration procedures, even though the celebs thought to have luxury pads of their own rather than bunking together in a less than star-studded home. The curious case, which initially seemed like the premise for "Disney's version of workaholics," as one Reddit user quipped, now highlights serious concerns over potential chinks in the armor of federal voting laws. On the one hand, the Help America Vote Act of 2002 tries to ensure voting remains inclusive, but as this little stunt has shown, including music moguls in a Katy domicile they almost certainly have never set foot in, it seems something's gotta give in the battle between accessibility and accountability.
It's not all bad news for music fanatics and democracy watchdogs though; while the stars' info was used to falsely register, actual voting requires a valid ID - so no, Drake isn't dropping ballots like hits, and no, this won't slide under the legal radar with state and federal penalties waiting in the wings for false registration. After all, the law professor Randall Erben told KTRK, "These people are either committing high misdemeanors or felonies," he wasn't talking about a new club banger.
The scenario grabbed the attention of Republican Sen. John Cornyn despite taking the flak for focusing on false celebrity voting issues rather than say, the ongoing border crisis – go figure. Meanwhile, the Harris County Attorney's Office has a firm grip on the situation, stating, "Drake and 50 Cent obviously did not do these voter registrations and whoever did committed a crime," reaffirming the gravity of voting rights not being fodder for thoughtless gags. The Houston Chronicle further reported that official measures like confirmation notices could be sent to the registered address, and if a response isn't forthcoming, well, it's bye-bye to the bogus ballot request, which serves as a sobering reminder that in the real world, beyond the beats and bars, there's no place for voter registration charades.
