Voters Rejected Because Of Paper Weight.....

[Joanne98]

Disenfranchised by old technology


By Nick Farrell: Tuesday 28 September 2004, 09:48

A GINGER group claims that the state of Ohio has rejected thousands of voter registrations because they are on the wrong paper. Citizens for Legitimate Government, here, said that an old law requires all voter registration forms to be on cards that are 80lb stock paper. This is a hangover from the days when such forms had to be kept for a long time.
However, according to the group, that requirement has long since stopped being important since all applications are immediately scanned and stored in a computer database and are no longer physically stored.

However, for some reason, just before the voter registration date is about to end, Ken Blackwell, the Ohio Secretary of State ordered local election boards to send out 'correct forms' and tell voters to re-apply.

The Citizens for Legitimate Government claims that the local boards have been snowed under with requests and can't process the voter application forms in time.

The result is that they will not be able to vote.


http://www.theinquirer.net/?article=18715

[annabanana]

1. anyone got Ken Blackwell's email address?.n/t

[mac56]

3. take a look at this thread -

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=132x905337

I think it's in there.

[countmyvote4real]

9. His contacts:

J. Kenneth Blackwell
180 E. Broad St., 15th Floor
Columbus, OH 43215
614-466-3910
E-Mail: [e-mail]

[bif]

2. The outrage is already beginning

It's a good sign that these stories are getting out early. Maybe folks will finally realize that the Repubs are determined to steal this election too!

[NVMojo]

4. I just got this reply

"All weights of paper registrations are being processed by Summit County."

From:
[e-mail]

What do you think??

[henslee]

7. I got same exact reply from Summitt! Also got this one from Stark:

Please be advised that the Stark County Board of Elections does not reject any registration form based on the weight of the paper."

[LisaL]

8. Some counties are not following Blackwell's order.

But some will.
It's disgusting, because they were obviously registering people who applied on the regular paper before, but as it came close to the deadline, they decided only 80 Lb paper would do. Have they no shame?

[cthrumatrix]

16. they all should be allowed to accpet "what they have"

[Rose Siding]

5. "However, for some reason..."

Golly, what would make him do that?

I know, I know :bounce:

There MUST be some recourse for this.

[annabanana]

6. any questions for Blackwell?

If you have any questions on this directive, please call my Elections Division at 614-466-2585.

Sincerely,

J. Kenneth Blackwell



http://www.theinquirer.net/?article=18715

[cthrumatrix]

10. This is "vote fraud" plain & simple...the Katherine Harris of Ohio

[trogdor]

11. Somebody needs to mail him a piece of plywood...

...with a voter registration card laminated to it. Any Buckeyes out there with a sense of humor?

[henslee]

12. Here's an ACTION ALERT (orig. posted by MzMolly)

First is Blackwell's contact #'s, followed by an alert which can copied and sent out to others.


Mailing Address:

J. Kenneth Blackwell
Ohio Secretary of State
180 E. Broad St. 16th Floor
Columbus, OH 43215

General Telephone Number (Toll Free): 1-877-767-6446
General Telephone Number (Local): 1-614- 466-2655
E-Mail: [e-mail]


*** ACTION ALERT *** DON'T LET THIS ELECTION BE STOLEN! ***

Ohio Secretary of State J. Kenneth Blackwell is trying to be the Katherine Harris of 2004 by stealing the election. Blackwell's office has told county boards of elections to strictly follow two antiquated provisions in Ohio election law:

One requires Ohio voter registration cards be printed on thick, 80-pound stock paper. The other ordered boards to strictly interpret the rules regarding provisional ballots, the ones cast by voters who move before the election but are still registered in Ohio.

CONTACT BLACKWELL, LET HIM KNOW YOU'RE NOT GOING TO LET HIM STEAL THE ELECTION. SPECIFICALLY, ACQUAINT HIM WITH THE FOLLOWING:

Sec. 1971. - Voting rights
(2) No person acting under color of law shall -
(A) in determining whether any individual is qualified under State law or laws to vote in any election, apply any standard, practice, or procedure different from the standards, practices, or procedures applied under such law or laws to other individuals within the same
county, parish, or similar political subdivision who have been found by State officials to be qualified to vote;
(B) deny the right of any individual to vote in any election because of an error or omission on any record or paper relating to any application, registration, or other act requisite to voting, if such error or omission is not material in determining whether such individual is qualified under State law to vote in such election.

[Rose Siding]

13. from kos- the election officials are ignoring the "edict"....

snip>
In Cuyahoga County (Cleveland) the board of elections officials are ignoring the edict because they have already had an avalanche of new registrations submitted on forms printed on the newsprint in The Plain Dealer.
"We don't have a micrometer at each desk to check the weight of the paper," said Michael Vu, director of the Cuyahoga County election Board.

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2004/9/27/112229/106

EVEN BETTER, it was an illegal requirement! In the other DU thread, Eric J in MN shared a media letter with the statute:

Ohio Secretary of State Blackwell is telling precincts to throw out voter registrations which aren't on 80 lb. stock paper.

This is blatant disenfranchisement, in violation of federal law:

42 U.S.C. 1971.

No person acting under color of law shall . . . deny the right of any individual to vote in any election because of an error or omission on any record or paper relating to any application, registration, or other act requisite to voting, if such error or omission is NOT MATERIAL in determining whether such individual is qualified under State law to vote in such election.


Please fight for the voting rights of the people who filled out their voter registration on normal paper. More information is at:
(he links Kos here)

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=132&topic_id=905337&mesg_id=906952&page=

[SidDithers]

14. Really can't vote? What's up with that?...

"The Citizens for Legitimate Government claims that the local boards have been snowed under with requests and can't process the voter application forms in time.

The result is that they will not be able to vote."

You really can't vote unless you're registered a month before the elections? To me, that seems to be quite an obstacle to democracy.

In Ontario, we have a permanent register of voters. But even if you're not on the voter list, all you need to do to vote is to show up at a polling station on election day, sign a declaration establishing your eligibility, and provide indentification to confirm your residency. Why are your elections so complicated?

Sid

[DBoon]

17. You live in Canada, a real democracy

not like the pretend democracy we have down here.

[henslee]

15. here' s a master list of emails of County Election Boards of Ohio.

I and others emailed them last night and have already gotten responses. Contacting Ohio and National Media is a good idea, too.

MASTER EMAIL LIST - COUNTY ELECTION BOARDS OF OHIO

[e-mail],[e-mail],[e-mail], [e-mail],[e-mail],[e-mail],[e-mail], [e-mail], [e-mail],[e-mail],[e-mail], [e-mail],[e-mail], [e-mail], [e-mail],[e-mail],[e-mail], [e-mail], [e-mail],[e-mail], [e-mail],[e-mail], [e-mail], [e-mail], [e-mail], [e-mail],[e-mail], [e-mail], [e-mail],[e-mail], [e-mail], [e-mail],[e-mail],[e-mail], [e-mail],[e-mail],[e-mail],[e-mail],[e-mail],[e-mail], [e-mail],[e-mail], [e-mail],[e-mail], [e-mail], [e-mail], [e-mail], [e-mail], [e-mail], [e-mail], [e-mail], [e-mail],[e-mail], [e-mail], [e-mail],[e-mail], [e-mail],[e-mail],[e-mail], [e-mail],[e-mail], [e-mail],[e-mail],[e-mail], [e-mail],[e-mail], [e-mail], [e-mail], [e-mail], [e-mail], [e-mail],[e-mail],[e-mail],[e-mail], [e-mail], [e-mail], [e-mail], [e-mail], [e-mail], [e-mail], [e-mail],[e-mail], [e-mail], [e-mail], [e-mail],[e-mail], [e-mail],

[Moderator]

18. dupe

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=102&topic_id=869956