ES&S "Former Employee" accessed rural OH BOE Computer in Oct.

[BQueen]

Found this story in today's local rag:

http://www.theeveningleader.com/articles/2004/11/06/news/news.01.txt

Saturday, November 6, 2004
Board awaits state followup
By ERIN MILLER

WAPAKONETA -- Auglaize County Board of Election members say they have not heard any more from the state regarding a possible investigation after receiving notice of being placed on administrative oversight last week.

(snip)

In a letter dated Oct. 21, Ken Nuss, former deputy director of the Auglaize County Board of Elections, claimed that Joe McGinnis, a former employee of Election Systems and Software (ES&S), the company that provides the voting system in Auglaize County, was on the main computer that is used to create the ballot and compile election results, which would go against election protocol. Nuss claimed in the letter that McGinnis was allowed to use the computer the weekend of Oct. 16.

Nuss, who resigned from his job Oct. 21 after being suspended for a day, was responsible for overseeing the computerized programming of election software, according to his job description. His resignation is effective Nov. 11.
(snip)
****************************
This is a county where I *thought* they had stopped the purchase of the machines, otherwise I would have considered being a plaintiff -- so I did check. Surprised to find an ES&S machine waiting to eat my vote. All the precincts (St. Marys) I watched the next day had ES&S as well -- one was a bellweather precinct that had been manipulated shortly before the election (3 precincts merged to 2 -- all low income -- and polling place merged with another 6 precincts).

Plenty of other weirdness here as well -- the BOE moved prior to last November, but all their info on their own web site and all local directories still list at the old address and phone -- no signs at old address (perhaps so only those who paid attention to local Wapak news would know where to go?) When I complained about that, this BOE Director was extremely defensive.

Also, our local Dem Chair endorsed w, was forced to resign, and we only got an HQ 2 weeks before the election -- they knew this county was gonna go under the radar...

Sent the article to BBV crew and posted in the Auglaize County Forum on BBV-- Any other ideas what I should do with this?

My polling place was DESIGNED to screw with people just as much as any urban center, and I really wonder about why that was -- emailed and spoke with other rural area voters, no lines, no problems (so far).

[leftchick]

1. uhhh Helllooooo AmeriKa....

this is YOUR fucking vote!

[kittenpants]

2. how does Auglaize usually vote?

I see the results were almost 75% for Bush. Do you have any idea how that compares to 2000?

[shraby]

3. I sent it to

Keith Olbermann, Buzzflash, Dailykos, and Citizens for Legit. Govt.

[BQueen]

5. thanks,

I know there has to be more to this...but I'm not knowledgeable enough about the campaign end of it to see exactly how it would help them much beyond screwing Kerry's rural numbers and being able to blame it on the pollwatchers.

[YellowDoginthehouse]

6. Didja send it to BBV?

www.blackboxvoting.org

[YellowDoginthehouse]

7. I see you did, sorry!

eom

[BQueen]

8. via crew and direct to bev (hopefully)

saw her address in another post.

:kick:

[BQueen]

4. pretty red, but the percentage went UP

2000 results
Total Registered voters: 28,693
Total Votes: 19,892
Bush: 13770 (69.22%) I came up with 73.78% for 2004
Gore: 5564 (27.97%)
source: http://serform.sos.state.oh.us/sos/results/index.html


And that doesn't really mesh with what I saw -- lots of young people (I believe I saw every pierced kid in town) friendly seniors (except a couple) and the positive responses to us outweighed negative about 5:1 -- although they did have bigger problems in the staunch German Catholic community to the south (apparently screaming obscenities at middle aged women across the street is A-OK, but choice isn't).

I saw more Kerry signs around here than I have EVER seen for a Dem candidate in this area. BC04 were about what I'd expect for a "normal" election. Granted, the area south is seriously anti-choice, but that is very close to the Shelby County line, where it gets severe.

[BQueen]

9. And some law -- heh heh heh

From the Ohio Revised Code

"§§ 3599.42. Prima-facie case of fraud
A violation of any provision of Title XXXV <35> of the Revised Code constitutes a prima-facie case of fraud within the purview of such title."

and

"§§ 3599.16. Misconduct of members or employees of board of elections
No member, director, or employee of a board of elections shall:
(A) Willfully or negligently violate or neglect to perform any duty imposed upon him by law, or willfully perform or neglect to perform it in such a way as to hinder the objects of the law, or willfully disobey any law incumbent upon him so to do; ***"

heh heh heh...

There may be a more directly applicable passage, I haven't had time to comb the code since I saw the story -- been disseminating it....

[BQueen]

10. kick for morning eom

[BQueen]

11. another kick for visibility eom