Indiana: Judge voids House district's absentee ballots

[Newsjock]

http://www.indystar.com/articles/6/188320-5946-103.html

A Marion County judge ordered Thursday hundreds of absentee votes thrown out in a west-central Indiana legislative district because a Republican candidate was not included on the ballot.

The decision by Judge Gary L. Miller could have broader implications, especially in what's expected to be a close race for governor.

Miller ruled that in the House District 46 race, R. Brooks LaPlante will take Jeff Lee's spot on all ballots -- including ones already printed. The legal tussle centers on whether Lee could withdraw from the race with just weeks to go before the election.

If Thursday's ruling stands and all absentee votes already cast are void, that would nullify votes in other races, too -- including governor.

So that could mean hundreds of votes not counted in a district, which includes Terre Haute, which leans Democratic.

more

[Hawkeye-X]

1. Can it be appealed? fuck the Repukes.

:D

[LynzM]

2. Dammit!

That's where our absentee ballots are!! GAH!!

Maybe we should have just voted Connecticut, after all :(

[bloom]

10. The Spencer paper said

the new ballots are expected to be mailed out Monday or Tuesday.

That's not much mailing time.

[progressivebydesign]

3. Then those people need to be allowed to vote in person!!

That's ridiculous.. but nowadays, most people who vote absentee are not housebound, as it used to be. There's plenty of time for people to vote again... as long as they are not BARRED from doing so, because they had an absentee. The people there need to make sure that ALL people can vote!!

[bloom]

9. I know some people who are about to go out of town

and here they don't have the ballots, ready, yet...


blah

[Briarius]

4. Shit, I've got one of those ballots in my lap right now

Guess I've gotta call the county comissioner in Terre Haute and see what they plan on doing about this f-up. If they don't count our votes I'm gonna be beyond pissed!!

[ParanoidPat]

6. Bring your ballot to the polling place.....

......and demand they VOID it and give you a new one! :evilgrin:

[The Magistrate]

5. This Is A Serious Injustice, Sir

Perhaps the vote on these ballots ought not be counted towards the Congressional contest, but that ought not to effect any other ballot line in this case.

"LET'S GO GET THOSE BUSH BASTARDS!"

[acmavm]

7. Interesting. A republican left off the ballot. A good way to screw up

the vote, and they (the republicans) will claim that they were the victims since their guy was the one left off.

Very Rovian. And very stupid, it's is damn time that the federal courts step in and stop this voter fraud and rule that people who were given a ballot to vote on be allowed to do whatever it takes to vote, even if they have to do it at the polls.

[bloom]

8. It's worse than that...

It's like the incumbent Republican decided not to run - and this other guy, Lee ran. But he wasn't doing very well - so he said he was moving out of the area to void his run - but didn' really move. And at the last minute - with the ballots already printed they say the incument can take his place. Gah!

[LiberalFighter]

14. I wonder if they checked his drivers license to see if he changed address

and if he has any kids if they were transferred

I seem to remember that this judge Gary Miller is a scum from way back in the early 90's

[bloom]

16. I don't know...

Lee listed his business partner's address as his own - but didn't move anything.

[LiberalFighter]

17. That would be suspect and should require further investigation

[bloom]

11. According to post in the Indiana section - this may be reversed --- >>>>

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=151x492


I hope so. What a mess.

[DeepModem Mom]

12. kick

[w4rma]

13. This bullcrap should be reversed. (nt)

[bloom]

15. This is considered to be a key race in deciding which way the Statehouse

goes - Dem or Pub.


From the Bloomington Herald-Times - http://www.heraldtimesonline.com/

"It's going to take the Indiana Supreme Court to decide which Republican's name will appear on the ballot as the candidate for Indiana House District 46. That's causing a headache for county clerks, including those in Monroe and Owen counties, who already have folks casting absentee ballots. It's also an issue that could decide whether Republicans or Democrats control the Indiana House in 2005-06.

Indiana Chief Justice Randall Shepard has signed an order authorizing a full-court review of a court ruling in Indianapolis on the bitterly partisan brawl of whether Jeff Lee or R. Brooks LaPlante should be the GOP candidate. Early this year, one-term Rep. LaPlante said he wasn't seeking re- election. Lee won the GOP primary in May to run against former district representative Vern Tincher, whom LaPlante had unseated in 2002. But a few weeks ago, Lee announced he was dropping out of the race and asked to be removed from the ballot, saying he'd moved from the district. State Republicans said they intended to fill his spot with LaPlante, who had reconsidered his decision not to run.

Democrats cried foul, alleging Lee hadn't moved out of the district and that in any event, the deadline for filling ballot vacancies was past. The issue went to the state election board, which was divided on the issue. So earlier this week, it was referred to Marion County Superior Court, where a judge ruled Thursday that LaPlante should replace Lee on the ballot.

Democrats immediately filed an appeal, and Shepard agreed to convene as a full court to hear and rule on the issue. However, as of late Friday afternoon, Monroe County Clerk Jim Fielder said the justices hadn't indicated when they'd hear the case, leaving him unsure how to proceed....

[Gman]

18. the proper thing to do

is to only throw out those votes cast in that House District race and NOT those for every other race. Throwing out everything else IS fraud and manipulation.