2004 Ballot Recount: Observer Report

• December 15, 2004:
  Report by Green Party Observers

December 13, 2004: Report by Green Party Observers

Officials Present:
Director: Barbara Tuckerman
Deputy Director: Marleen Smith
Republican Members: Chris Knight (local attorney), John Rettig
Democratic Members: Tom Younker, Tom Hyman

Volunteer observers present for the Green Party:
Observer A.
Observer K.
Observer B.

Other Observers were present from Kerry/Edwards and Bush/Cheney parties.

Official Board of Elections Meeting was conducted at 8:05 a.m. with Board Members and Coordinators from each witnessing team.

After normal official business was conducted ( paying of bills, transfers of funds, etc.) Mr. Rettig addressed the recount procedure. Mr. Rettig stated:

1. The election has been certified and being as such the Board would not accept any challenges.
2. The ballots had been checked so they will run them the same manner. Once the recount started they (BoE) will not stop the process for challenges.
3. Some double votes already were dealt with.
4. Overvotes were not counted.
5. Any problems with ballots, challenges could be noted by an observer as to which precinct and possible problem and the Board would address the concern after tabulation was completed.

TEST Stack

Ballots stack sorted and hand counted by two Board participants, then tallied.

The Undervote Stack: one counter came out with 88 votes and the other came out with 90 votes, tabulation sheet was marked 88. Test Stack overall total of 269. (One tabulator sheet used and included with information packet) BoE did not instruct as to whether this was actual dummy stack or actual ballots.

During this process an observer asked if a Board member would be present to help with questions, example given if there was a double vote. The Director stated that they should be able to decipher the intent and then stated, "We don't need any questions."

Member from local Newspaper was also present and asked Mr. Rettig, "What if the machine made a mistake, how do you know?" Mr. Rettig replied, "We don't."

Test stack then put through tabulation machine and totaled 269. Mrs. Tuckerman made comment under her breath, "should have been 270." Then asks tabulator if hand counts were the same, it was affirmed and accepted by the Director as accurate.

I asked the Director about maintenance of the tabulation machines: Mrs. Tuckerman responded, "Once per year." I asked if records were kept and she stated, "I don't keep a record of it."

RANDOM 3% SAMPLING

Precinct summary sheets were given to assorted people in the room and 3 were told to pick a precinct. I chose Clyde — C, another chose Ballville Twp. A and another chose Rice Twp.

3 Teams proceeded with stack sort, and hand counting.

Clyde C — one ballot from Precinct F found in stack and removed. It was questioned and we were told that it did not matter if they were mixed the votes would still be counted. Hand count stopped when ballot was found with 2 ovals filled in, Kerry and the write in space. A BoE member took a white sticker and placed over the write in oval so it would not be kicked out by tabulator.

Hand Count of Rice Twp. completed and placed into Tabulation Machine #1 as labeled. Tabulation completed and total count was 312. I asked the Director about the hand tally and pointed out that total should be 311. After extended trouble shooting, 1 hour plus / They ran this stack through both Tabulation Units and the count came out 312. The tabulation of Clyde C also showed a discrepancy of 1 and was checked for double votes. I was ready to request complete hand count, was making notation of serial numbers, and County Equipment numbers.

The Deputy Director asked the tabulation person if she was putting the over-vote back in and rescanning it. Indeed she had. The whole stack was run again after clearing the machine and total came out 311. An Over-vote ballot was corrected in Clyde C and stack run again and showed a match to the hand count total.

The third Precinct was then placed into tabulation machine and processed, at which time the Director advised (11:20 am.) that we would be taking a lunch break and resume at 1 p.m. After break, I was given the tally sheets and copies of the tabulation results from the 3% Sampling. I then proceeded to request the actual Polling Books and started checking those. Observer A. joined me shortly after.

The Test Stack Tabulation sheet, 3% Tabulation sheet and summaries are included in the packet. Other info included: Certified Total Summary Sheet, Recount Summary Sheet, 3 Poll Book Tally Sheets, Official Write-In Candidate Sheet issued by BoE, Absentee List not counted and Provisional List not counted.