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Observers Document Widespread Problems With Ohio Recount
Columbus, OH — The recount of Ohio's presidential vote is being conducted in violation of the spirit and letter of Ohio law, according to numerous reports filed by official observers for the Green Party's presidential campaign, which initiated the recount and is monitoring its process.
Mountains of evidence have documented the voter suppression, intimidation and disenfranchisement which took place in Ohio on Election Day.
— Blair Bobier Cobb Media Director |
"Few of Ohio's 88 counties are randomly selecting sample precincts for the recount as is required by Ohio law. When the precincts are pre-selected by election officials in violation of state law, the integrity of the entire process is called into question," said Green Party presidential candidate David Cobb.
Detailed reports from observers in all 88 counties are being compiled and analyzed by the Green Party presidential campaign and by their legal counsel. The reports, which are available for public inspection at http://www.votecobb.org/recount/ohio_reports/index.php, will be the basis for a comprehensive analysis by the campaign and for potential legal action.
The lack of random sampling and the manipulation of the outcome of the recount is a frequent theme in the reports. The official Green Party observer for Montgomery County wrote that "It seemed that the process was less an attempt to see if the machines could accurately read the punchcards and more of an exercise in ensuring artificially that the hand recount and machine tabulation of the same 3% sample were a match."
Other problems with the recount include:
*No review of the approximate 93,000 "spoiled" or "discarded" ballots;
*Official recount observers being prevented from getting close enough to see the ballots or observe log books or portions of the process in Lucas and Cuyahoga counties;
*Lack of adequate security for ballots or voting machines in Hocking, Coshocton, Medina and Greene Counties;
* Counties, including Monroe and Fairfield, which refused to do a full hand recount, as required by law, when the 3% sampling did not match the machine count;
*Mistreatment of official observers, including disparaging comments made in a number of counties by election officials and employees; observers being told they couldn't ask questions and, in Summit County, observers being forced to stand against a wall for the duration of the recount.
"Mountains of evidence have documented the voter suppression, intimidation and disenfranchisement which took place in Ohio on Election Day. Secretary of State Blackwell labeled these deeply troubling problems as 'glitches.' He appears to be similarly unconcerned that the Ohio recount is being conducted without uniform standards and in apparent violation of Ohio law," said Cobb-LaMarche Media Director Blair Bobier.
Additional information about the recount can be found at www.votecobb.org. The website for the Ohio Green Party is http://www.ohiogreens.org/.
