Ohio Will Be Florida of 2004?GOP's35000 challenges to voters' eligibility

[papau]

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A62645-2004Oct25.html
Some Fear Ohio Will Be Florida of 2004

By Paul Farhi and Jo Becker
Washington Post Staff Writers
Tuesday, October 26, 2004; Page A01

COLUMBUS, Ohio, Oct. 25 -- Democrats and Republicans here traded accusations of voter fraud, obstruction and intimidation Monday as officials grappled with what is becoming a confused -- and potentially chaotic -- presidential election in this critical battleground state. <SNIP>


Among the looming concerns:

• Republicans have already filed 35,000 challenges to voters' eligibility and are preparing to send recruits into 8,000 polling places next Tuesday to challenge other voters they suspect are not eligible, particularly hundreds of thousands of the newly registered. Democrats are alarmed at the effort, saying it could tie up voting and keep many away from the polls.

• Ohio's voter-registration rolls contain more than 120,000 duplicate names, and an untold number of ineligible voters, such as people who have moved out of the state. A review of the rolls by the Columbus Dispatch even found a murder victim and two suspected terrorists among the eligible.

• Democrats fear that polling places will be inadequately staffed and equipped to handle the crush of voters on Election Day. Rep. Stephanie Tubbs Jones (D-Ohio) said Monday she is concerned that many new voters will not get proper notification from county election boards about where to vote. That is a critical issue in light of a federal appeals court ruling Saturday that voters with provisional ballots -- backup ballots for voters whose names do not appear on the rolls -- must cast them in their own precinct for the votes to count. <SNIP>



The Cleveland Plain Dealer provides an update on the 17,000 challenges underway in Cuyahoga County

http://www.cleveland.com/news/plaindealer/index.ssf?/base/cuyahoga/1098783172159330.xml

Republican Party challenges 17,000 on Cuyahoga County's voter rolls
Tuesday, October 26, 2004
Scott Hiaasen
Plain Dealer Reporter
Call it the Catch-17,000.

The Cuyahoga County Board of Elections must find more than 17,000 registered voters by Friday to tell them they may be culled from the rolls by Republican challengers.
================================================================
a coalition of groups sued the Cuyahoga County Board of Elections for failing to properly register some 10,000 new voters

http://www.cleveland.com/news/plaindealer/index.ssf?/base/news/1098783094159330.xml

Suit says Cuyahoga County board 'botched' voter registrations
Tuesday, October 26, 2004
John Caniglia
Plain Dealer Reporter
The Cuyahoga County Board of Elections has botched the registrations of more than 10,000 voters, preventing them from heading to the ballot box next week, according to a lawsuit filed late Monday.

The Citizens Alliance for Secure Elections, the Alliance of Cleveland HUD Tenants and seven residents sued the board in federal court and claimed election board employees failed to enter new registrations on voter rolls, update changes sent in by voters and enter addresses correctly.

[Capn Sunshine]

1. I checked in here to see if there is any discussion of this

They are planning a physical presence at polling places. Among their activities involve challenging the eligibility of the voters, general shenanigans tdesigned to slow the voting process, and agent provocateurs in line who plan to discourage those waiting from voting.

I hope your GOTV workers bear this in mind. Any plans?

[salin]

2. there have been numerous local news items

about voter challenges - see the following gd item http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=104x2560647

Some challenges are going to election boards - folks received letters and had to respond... TODAY before these boards. My guess is this is the tip of the iceberg - I have found items on four different localities (so far) - there are probably many, many more such stories. We need to compile them and get them to the media. My bet is that the backlash would make Ohio safe for Kerry.

[shesemsmom]

3. Helping

We I received an invite by first phone and then by email to phone poll in The Cincinnati area. Its a great link. I sent it to all my Friends who want Bush Gone. I live in Southern Indiana and while we have worked hard here I don't know if we can beat him here, but we can sure as heck help you guys. I made 40 calls myself today and am encouraged by the response. I guess at this point the are at least 20 people helping me with this project and maybe more as my friends emailed there friends. GOOD LUCK OHIO. Although we may not be able to turn Indiana blue I understand and would like to quote another by saying were gonna be a really DEEP PURPLE . LOL I know we can help turn Ohio Blue:kick: