Ohio once again fails its voters

[BobcatJH]

At 10:15 a.m., I was the first person to vote electronically at my precinct in Cleveland Heights. Having arrived at 6:30 when the polls opened, we were immediately told by poll workers that none of the five cards voters use to vote electronically were functional. In fact, I'm fairly certain that the majority of the cards came up as dead on arrival. If you're unfamiliar with how the process works here, when voters sign in, they're handed a card that looks much like a hotel key card. Then, they go to the machine, cast their ballot and bring the card back to the poll worker, who takes it and prepares it for the next voter.

Well, none of the cards or miniature readers worked. From 6:30 a.m. on, poll workers in contact with the Cuyahoga County Board of Elections were told that they were, in fact, aware of the problem and that, to be sure, help was on the way. Between five and ten minutes away. They were repeatedly given the five-to-ten-minute story for three hours. Help never came. Apparently, similar problems had happened at other area precincts. At one point, a poll worker was told that the problems were so widespread in Cleveland that dispatching support staff to a single precinct would be next to impossible. Making matters worse was the fact that the workers' board-issued (I'm fairly sure) cell phone was nonfunctional, too. Meaning, without their personal cell phones and the help of the hotel at which they were located, they would have been completely out of luck.

In the time before help arrived, they were telling people to vote using a provisional ballot, and that a poll worker would write "regular" on those ballots, meaning the people would have voted electronically if they could have. Nearly as many people did this as left in a huff, their stories recorded by an observer. When repeated calls for help went unheeded, I actually tried the BoE myself and was somehow connected to the same folks the poll workers had talked to. Like them, I was told help was on the way. It, of course, never was.

Until roughly 10 a.m., that is, when someone from a nearby precinct that had seen similar problems came by, followed shortly by two Diebold staffers. After rebooting the machines and initializing new cards, my precinct was back in business. I should also say that my calls to 1-888-DEM-VOTE were handled very well, each individual answering the phone going the extra mile to make sure that each issue would be investigated and followed-up upon. But it should never have gotten to that point.

This system, as it stands, is designed to fail, and designed to fail Democratic voters. I can't think of any other way to say it. Poll workers weren't allowed to test the cards until just before the polls opened, meaning they had little prep time to iron out any glitches. Board officials were completely non-responsive for a solid three hours. Michael Vu, the Cuyahoga County Board director, should be fired. Ohio has once again failed its citizens. This is supposed to be a democracy. Supposed to. For my part, I wasn't going to cast a provisional ballot, I just wasn't. I don't trust that the board would have ever counted it, which is funny, considering I was skipping such a ballot to wait for a Diebold machine. But goddammit, if my country is going to become a tin-pot dictatorship, it's going to happen with me watching, with me trying to fight for whatever last shreds of our freedoms still exist.

In case you're unfamiliar with the area in which I live, it's one of the bluest parts of a blue city, Cleveland. It's also home to a sizable minority population. From what I was hearing, the problems I had experienced were widespread, especially in areas near mine. This, to me, is no coincidence. And if you, like me, have had any problems, please report them in the comments. Report them, also, to the proper authorities. We can't let them kill America in plain sight. We just cant. And if you haven't yet voted today, please do so. We have to act as though our lives depend on it. Because they do.

[Altean Wanderer]

1. All this must be documented and acted on IF

they dare steal it again. We can't let Mexico and the Ukraine show us up when it comes to defending democracy!

[yodermon]

7. It should be acted on even when we WIN.

ESPECIALLY after we win.
It's not about who wins and loses if your VOTE DOESN'T EVEN GET FUCKING COUNTED.

I am very worried that if the Dems take the House (& Senate?) that Election Fraud Apathy will set in because hey, we won, didn't we? Leading up to the theft in '08.

Just a pet concern of mine.

[Laelth]

9. A very reasonable concern, imho.

Investigations must follow.

:dem:

-Laelth

[Lars39]

2. Those board officials should have been told they are facing felony charges.

[OzarkDem]

3. Holy shit

This is one of the biggest Dem strongholds in the largest Dem county in Ohio. This is also Stephanie Tubbs Jones district.

Let's hope county prosecutor Bill Mason gets involved. Perhaps a call to our local FBI office would be in order, too.

[bobbie]

26. Stephanie Tubbs Jones--She was the *one* Rep to challenge the Ohio electors

In 2004, right? And Barbara Boxer the one Senator. And that was it (of course Conyers was standing up for us as he always does).

[stillcool]

4. hey there....

I'm trying to gather as much information as possible concerning any problems with voting in Ohio...here:
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=172&topic_id=20777&mesg_id=20777
I'm going to add a link to this post, but if you have any other info, or any advice for me concerning websites with info...I'd much appreciate it. It's a total bummer that this is happening in so many areas.

[ellacott]

5. I saw this on the news this morning

I vote in Maple Heights and it went well.

[demo dutch]

6. That's disturbing -- Heard it on Air America Radio this morning

[Rebel_with_a_cause]

8. Truely truely pathetic

[bobbie]

27. But totally expected. Was it expected by the Dems?

What did they do to prepare? I mean, aside from Conyers of course. I know he cares.

[partylessinOhio]

10. This is critical:

" Michael Vu, the Cuyahoga County Board director, should be fired. Ohio has once again failed its citizens."

We must insist that Vu goes! No more chances for him!

I voted absentee. I have no patience for this kind of BS, NONE!

Thanks for your report.

[CitizenLeft]

40. You can put that in even bigger font...

...TOTALLY AGREE. I participated in the recount in 2004, and I saw him in action up close. He's TERRIBLE... and worse, he's apathetic. Or complicit. I don't know which is worse.

*big thank you to my Cleveland Hts. neighbor* for reporting this and hanging in there. I live in Euclid, and I was in and out of my polling place in less than 15 mins (around 1:00 this afternoon). There was no line, but the parking lot was full, so it was a steady fast stream. I feel terrible for my neighbors, a mere 10 streets separates me from Cleveland Hts.

[progressoid]

11. "it's one of the bluest parts of a blue city"

Gosh, what a surprise.

[buddysmellgood]

12. I have no idea how you all contain your rage. You need to seek a court order

today, so that the polls stay open until everyone has a chance to vote.

[Doctor_J]

14. The courts are stacked with Bush activists

eventually a law suit will make it to one of them , and that will be it for any sort of legal action.

[Doctor_J]

13. It;s past time for hand-wringing and phone calls

let's start the revolution NOW. For christ's sake, it should be clear to even the stupidest Republican that this isn't going to end peacefully. Let's hit the streest tomorrow. The WH should be under siege until this is taken care of. If 20 million of us show up and shut down DC, they will not be able to ignore us.

[bobbie]

28. If the steal a forth one in a row, there'll be no other alternative

Americans may finally have to act after more than 40 years. The 1963 coup was the start, and here's the result.

[jahyarain]

41. just say when

but plans must be made. not just getting thrown in jail a couple of thousand miles away from home. it has to work. fully.

[young_at_heart]

15. Was this the precinct shown in "Hacking Democracy"?

The scenes in Cleveland of huge lines of people waiting in the rain and just one voting booth really created an unforgettable image. What is WRONG with this area?

[wildeyed]

16. I wish I could say unbelievable,

but this is what I expected.

Will there be large protests if they steal again? Keep us posted.

[bobbie]

29. Will there be martial law to prevent large protests?

I'm sure they're ready for this. But we'd have to protest anyway. Just be aware.

[wildeyed]

35. I have vaguely discussed driving down to join in if it comes to that.

Guess we will jump off that bridge when we get to it.

[katinmn]

17. They got away with it last time. Will people let it go AGAIN?

[wordpix]

18. unfuckingbelievable, thanks for your report, Bobcat. We will NOT let these repukes

steal another election. :puke:

[Doctor_J]

34. How do you mean that?

Of course we'll let them steal another election. Hint: Complaining to each other on DU won't help very much.

[slackmaster]

19. Sounds like it's time for tar and feathers

That's inexcusable.

[paparush]

20. Its happening...the last throes of Democracy..the last drops of freedom

I hope someone runs over Blackwell. I hope someone shoots his porch lights out and slash his fucking tires. I hope someone drops a bag of shit on his head.

[Auntie Bush]

43. I hope that bag also contains a lead brick.

[krkaufman]

21. "two Diebold staffers... initializing new cards" -- FRIGHTENING

If you've seen 'Hacking Democracy' or are familiar w/ the black box voting issue, this excerpt from the OP will be exceedingly frightening to you...

... by two Diebold staffers. After rebooting the machines and initializing new cards ...

[nadinbrzezinski]

24. yep, it was

[IWantAChange]

22. I'm sure someone has forwarded Bobcat's post to DNC and Olbermann

but just in case I did it again. I think the time has come to stand tall against the dismantling of democracy and settle this issue once and for all - I for one am ready to stop day-trading and do WHATEVER is necessary to see that the individuals responsible are held accountable. Research, funding, goinG to Ohio to demonstrate - whatever.

[ClickClack]

42. Thanks, IWAC! I will do the same, just to make sure! [n/t]

[asthmaticeog]

23. That well and truly sucks.

Things were incredibly smooth in Tremont this morning, to the point that I was astonished - despite the gentrification, it's still basically a poor, minority-heavy Blue area.

I'm astonished that there were problems in a suburb and none (yet) in an urban precinct!

[John Gauger]

25. You need to tell your story to Greg Palast.

He covered the story of Cuyahoga County in 2004. The exact same thing happening to Dems in Cleveland last election. This is obviously intentional.

[Doctor_J]

33. WTF good will that do?

So he can write it up for the BBC?

[John Gauger]

38. He should know about it.

It won't stop the voter fraud, but the truth must come out. He specialized in American voter fraud. I should think telling a reporter about this would be lauded as a gift to the fatherland, or something like that. What if he tells Keith Olbermann, so Americans will hear it? Would that make you feel better?

[Selatius]

30. You're guilty of VWD, voting while Democrat.

There is no recourse except to report it.

[ClintonTyree]

31. Ohio's election results should be declared null and void.

Since there is NO WAY to know how many voters were turned away, could not wait 3 hours to vote, or just walked away in disgust. Kenneth Blackwell purposely muddied the voter identification issue, which should be unconstitutional in and of itself being a candidate.
The god damned Republicans MUST NOT be allowed to pull this shit again! :grr:
I hope every Democratic Lawyer in the country flocks to Ohio and shuts this farce down....... and put Blackwell in jail while they're at it.
:mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad:

[MGD]

37. Let's see what the results are we before we consider that. As an Ohioan, I'm quite confident that

we're all going to be very happy with the results.

[civildisoBDence]

32. I voted in a red part of a red state, in rural Georgia

No problems.

Go figure.

Newsprism

[MGD]

36. The E-voting machines were "down" in Williams county this a.m. too but they eventually came "up"

There were lots of staff at the polling station that were really confused too. They were struggling with new machines and new legislation. It worked out though. I voted. personally, if those machines were down, I would have preferred they stay stay down. CNN is reporting on these problems right now btw.

[Slackajawea]

39. What was the reason

that the staff couldn't test the cards until just before the polls opened? That alone sounds fishy to me. I also wouldn't feel too warm and fuzzy at the prospect of Diebold coming to "fix" things.