Ohio's State of confusion - record turnout and paper ballots could delay results and deepen mistrust

[jefferson_dem]

State of confusion
A projected record turnout Tuesday and voters' option to use paper ballots rather than touch-screens could delay results deep into the night and deepen mistrust of Ohio elections around the country.
Sunday, March 2, 2008 3:48 AM
By Mark Niquette

THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH

It's 11 p.m. Tuesday, and Wolf Blitzer is standing in front of a big electronic Ohio map on CNN. Viewers nationwide have tuned in to see who won the critical Democratic presidential primary in the Buckeye State.

The only problem: Blitzer can't tell them. The race is too close to call, and the results aren't in -- and won't be ready until early Wednesday or even later because Cuyahoga County and other counties still are counting ballots.

That might not happen, of course. Ohio's primary could go smoothly, and a winner could be declared long before anyone goes to bed Tuesday.

But election experts warn that with the combination of a possible record voter turnout, the competitive Democratic campaign and the introduction of more paper ballots, potential election problems loom.

The problems could include precincts running out of paper ballots, confusion and voting delays at the polls, state lawyers going to court to keep polls open late in some areas, or lawsuits challenging the outcome.

Edward B. "Ned" Foley, director of an elections-law program at Ohio State University, said late returns wouldn't necessarily be a problem because he thinks it's more important to ensure that vote totals are accurate than to get them fast.

But he said any major problems that delay the results or otherwise mar Tuesday's vote would add to a lingering nationwide distrust of Ohio elections because of controversy over the 2004 presidential election.

"I'm afraid that when the dust settles, that people will look back on March 4 not with a vindication of Ohio but an ongoing and continuing distrust of Ohio," he said

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http://www.dispatchpolitics.com/live/content/local_news/stories/2008/03/02/ARE_WE_READY.ART_ART_03-02-08_A1_JQ9GC7D.html?adsec=politics&sid=101

[Arkana]

1. Ah, Christ...not this shit again.

Goddamn Ohio...

[TexasObserver]

2. This worries me the most. Hillary has those in power, and that means voting irregularies.

Her people didn't count over 100,000 votes in LA county, California.

Her people hid and/or fabricated ballots in New Mexico.

[indimuse]

5. really? prove it!

...?

[Botany]

3. Columbus Dispatch Crap

Just by chance I ran into an old friend yesterday ....
Jennifer Brunner as in Sec. of State Brunner.

Will the Ohio election 3/4 be perfect? No but
we have a really good person in Brunner here in
OH and she is working damn hard to make sure
our elections are safe secure and open. Matter
of fact she is on her way to Cuyahoga County
today to make sure that things run O.K. tuesday.

The Columbus Dispatch's "can't trust those paper
ballots" story is nothing more than a "hit piece."

[jefferson_dem]

4. Thanks. I'm happy to hear that.

Hoping the OH bullshit left with bullshitter Blackwell.

[Botany]

6. Trust me there is a huge push back on election reform in OH

The Columbus, Dispatch is a two bit rag trying to sell the
story that "you just can't trust those new paper ballots."


Jennifer Brunner is one of the "good guys" and gave up
a hell of lot to take on the tough job of cleaning up OH
after Kenny Blackwell. She has already shown quite a few
BOE people the door after they tried to fight her on making
reforms and having ethics rather party be the rule in our
vote here.