Ohio: Judge Halts Challenges to (35,000) Voter Registrations

[Kolesar]

Cincinnati - A federal judge on Wednesday temporarily stopped hearings on thousands of voter registrations in a ruling in favor of Democrats who sued to halt Republican challenges of registrations they said could be fraudulent.

U.S. District Judge Susan Dlott ruled that six county elections boards should stop hearings scheduled this week. Two of the counties, Cuyahoga and Franklin, account for most of the remaining GOP challenges.

The Ohio Republican Party last week challenged about 35,000 new voter registrations.

Republicans say mail to those voters was returned, indicating possible fraud. Democrats sued saying the GOP is targeting new voters registered by political groups supporting Senator John Kerry.

The ruling applies to Franklin, Lawrence, Medina, Cuyahoga, Scioto and Trumbull counties but Democrats say all counties should suspend hearings on the challenges.

........snip.........
Ohio public radio said that an appeal to a higher court is expected. This is good news in any case.

edit:
http://www.onnnews.com/Global/story.asp?S=2489637&nav=LQlCSTcu

[eaprez]

1. good BUT...its just pre challenges...just means they will challenge

at the polls making voting a slow process.

[Kolesar]

3. Former Cle City Council Head George Forbes said "Go ahead republicans"

"come to East 116 and St. Clair in Cleveland to challenge voters and see how popular you are" (or something like that). It was more than a bit of a threat.

[davepc]

2. Ohio "caging list"

"Republicans say mail to those voters was returned, indicating possible fraud. Democrats sued saying the GOP is targeting new voters registered by political groups supporting Senator John Kerry."


So thats the same tactic they are going to use in Florida. That leaked list was part of their Florida strategy.

[Joy Anne]

4. returned mail

I helped a new registrant who never received his voting card. I knew his address was where he lived because I delivered a yard sign there.

[Joy Anne]

5. furthermore,

welcome, davepc!

[1monster]

6. Is there a copy of that list anywhere? I'd like to see if anyone I know

is being challenged.

In Florida it is against to the law to harrass, coerce, or intimidate a voter.

And challengers to your right to vote must provide an explanation. The explanation should be in writing with a sworn oath giving the reasons for the challenge.

If voters know this, they can force the challengers to swear an oath on their reasons for challenging or give up the challenge. Then, if the challenger persists in the challenge, and it is a false oath, the challenger could face perjery charges... <101.031(2) and 101.111>

[Gman]

7. 35,000 challenges in OH, 50,000 lost ballots in FL, the cage1.xls file

with another 1800 or so on it with voters to be challenged in FL; no doubt the caging will go on all over FL. I haven't tracked everything, but across the country there may be as many as 4 or 5 million voters challenged, intimidated, lost ballots or otherwise not allowed to vote.

Gee, the GOP sure runs on the issues and its position on those issues,win, lose or draw. They are obviously so very proud of their accomplishments.

[whistle]

8. Good move, only problem is that the dominionists will accuse the judge

...of making up law instead of following the law. The neo-cons will appeal to a conservative judge who will overrule it. That's happened here in Florida a lot.