Voter Suppression in Ohio
September 24th, 2008 at 08:24am Kevin Patrick
Of course, since it’s actual suppression of Republican votes rather than baseless allegations of Democrat voters being suppressed (I’m looking at you Jesse Jackson) the media won’t cover it. But here’s the gist:
Secretary of State Jennifer Brunner has a reputation as the most partisan state official in Ohio…The Democrat’s latest stunt rejected absentee ballots for thousands of Republicans…
The John McCain campaign sent out more than 1 million applications for absentee ballots to Republicans. Each had a line at the top next to a box: “I am a qualified elector.”
Brunner sent a memo telling county election officials to reject those applications for absentee ballots if the box was not checked. “Failure to check the box leaves both the applicant and the board of elections without verification that the applicant is a ‘qualified elector’,” she wrote.
But that’s contrary to state law and Brunner doesn’t have the authority, according to the lawsuit and an opinion from Hamilton County’s Republican Prosecutor Joe Deters…
Brunner said, “While state law does not require a check box, the McCain-Palin campaign designed its form to require that voters check a box to affirmatively state they are qualified electors.”
That level of scrutiny doesn’t hold up under any standard of review. For the lawyers out there the Supreme Court Case is “Gates v. Illinois” which overturned situations where simple ministerial errors — not dotting an “i” or crossing a “t” — was cause to throw out search warrants.
Of course there are reasons Brunner thinks she can get away with that with confidence:
Especially since the top of her ticket was raised in one of the most corrupt political machines in our country:
Entry Filed under: Campaign 2008, Corruption, Democrats
6 Comments
1. Danish Artist | September 24th, 2008 at 10:12 am
Typical.
Liberals scream to the high heavens if voter verification requiring an ID is enforced. No ID no vote. BUT NO, liberals want that person to vote regardless.
But are ready to toss out ballots if a box is not checked?
Again, typical. What happened to “We want every vote to count.” - Al Gore
2. Rich | September 24th, 2008 at 10:26 am
Count every vote . Um….
3. kimberly4victory | September 24th, 2008 at 10:41 am
“Well, uh, it helps in Ohio that we have Democrats in charge of the machines.” He should have added, “And, I’ve got ACORN, too.”
Shouldn’t BOTH parties be in charge of the machines? If McCain-Palin doesn’t win big, expect the lawyers to come out in droves on November 5th.
4. Cavalor Epthith, Esquire, D.S.V.J. | September 24th, 2008 at 11:24 am
That is illegal and those absentee ballots should be sent out. This is a clear case of election fraud but citing Gates is a bit of a stretch.
5. Timothy Horrigan | September 24th, 2008 at 12:21 pm
This is an embarrassing story, I admit… especially coming form Ohio, a state which used to be famous for having scrupulously fair elections!
It is a correctable problem: those McCain voters who forgot to check off the box can still reapply for a ballot or simply vote at the polling place. In some states, going to the polling place can be difficult and in some states the voting machines are unreliable, but NOT in Ohio! Ohio has NEVER had problems with its voting machines! NEVER!!! Ohio has always had fair elections! ALWAYS!!!!
6. Joe Schmoel | September 24th, 2008 at 9:47 pm
Except McCain sent these ballots to registered Democrats.