6 post OH-2 questions

[freedomfries]

1. Why was there a power failure between 9:20 and 10:40PM last night, interrupting the electronic tabulation of the votes in Clermont County, home of the GOP candidate Jane Schmidt?
2. Who conducted and observed the Clermont County handcount?
3. Before the tabulators went down, with 88% of the election returns in, Schmidt was leading by only 0.89%. The race was too close to call and the media outlets were predicting a recount. After the power came back up, Schmidt was winning by 3.49%, well ahead of the recount margin. Why did Schmidt's margin of victory almost quadruple while the last 91 precincts were counted?
4. Other than trust and faith, what rational basis of confidence do we have in the accuracy of the OH-2 election results?
5. During the '04 campaign phone-banking at the Clermont County Kerry-Edwards headquarters, we witnessed a local TV station interviewing the staff about the theft of Kerry-Edwards yard signs, a malicious pattern observed around the country, but particularly rampant in the county. What moral fiber would hold back lawless yard sign thieves from stealing votes? And, finally...
6. Is there a legal basis to ask for a recount in Clermont County?

[In Truth We Trust]

1. kick for truth-Nail `em

[Freddie Stubbs]

2. Does Hackett seem like the kind of guy who will remain silent

If he believes that the election was stolen? :shurg:

[Changenow]

13. If he doesn't know

what would he say?

[meganmonkey]

3. Very good questions

And the answer to all is the same:

OHIO ELECTIONS ARE CORRUPT!!!

:) Doesn't really help, I know. They really are good questions, and my dreams would come true if they were really answered by someone who really knows.

I will add that in a way this was a victory regardless - Hackett kicked some serious ass. But this shady shit has GOT to stop!!!

[Bucky]

4. I've put up a THANKS PAUL weblog. It's open for your voice too.

http://thankyoupaul.blogspot.com/

I've put together a "THANKS PAUL" blog. You can PM me here at DU or email your thanks to Paul from the email address on the website. The more voices we get, the better. Will you send your "muchas gracias" to this fighting Democrat?

[flpoljunkie]

5. Schmidt was ahead in Clermont County by 58% when 88% overall returns in.

With 52% of the Clermont returns in the tally was Schmidt 7,556 and Hackett 5,420--that is 58%-42%. Schmidt, whose home county is Clermont, apparently retained this lead.

However, we can never have faith in the outcome of our elections when the software in the tabulating computers can be programmed to favor a particular candidate and leave no trace. This must be fixed before 2006!

[bearfan454]

17. You said

"However, we can never have faith in the outcome of our elections when the software in the tabulating computers can be programmed to favor a particular candidate and leave no trace. This must be fixed before 2006!"

I agree 100 percent on that with you.

Is there any legislation pending to fix that ?

Is Howard Dean going to get it fixed by the 2006 midterms ?

Are any Dem Senators besides Conyers and Pelosi talking about it ?

Has corporate money bought off a majority of our party too ?

There is nothing I would like more than to get rid of those electronic vote stealing and central tablulator and optical scan thieving equipment. It would the high point of my political views to see that happen. I really want it to happen. Will it ?

[flpoljunkie]

24. There is the County Every Vote Act of 2005 introduced in the Senate and

going nowhere. Hillary Clinton sends out letters about this bill she and others have introduced and asks for money--yet the Democrats are not using whatever leverage they have to bring the bill to the floor or to build support in the Democratic party.

We are, sadly, left to hoping fervently that the Carter-Baker Federal Election Reform Commission--which will issue its report on September 19th--will fix our voting system so that we can trust that our votes are counted accurately in what is left of our democracy.

[MercutioATC]

6. Answer to #1:

FirstEnergy is the power supplier for Clermont County (and a lot of other places). FirstEnergy bites.

[wakeme2008]

7. I read most of the threads last night

And I would like to add a question..

Did anybody report having problems voting like in 2004. (ie Was there enough machines...)

[windbreeze]

12. YES

In a yahoo group I belong to, one woman reported that people went to vote yesterday, only to find that their polling places had been changed....that Schmidt was campaigning within 100' of polling places, while they were open...and when she was told to leave, she refused....
I wasn't there, so I don't know...just relaying what I read this am..
windbreeze

[Jeff In Milwaukee]

8. Couple of answers

2. The handcount should (should) be conducted by employess of the Board of Elections, which is an evenly-divided (Republican/Democrat) entity. Since Hackett's people aren't screaming bloody murder, my assumption is that they followed the law.

3. It's not surprising the Clermont County came in heavily for Schmidt. It's her home county and the population has been growing heavily during the past decade. The overwhelming bulk of the residents are Freepers fleeing the City of Cincinnati. Hackett actually did well in Clermont County -- better than any Democrat in twenty years.

5. Yard signs get stolen all the time (as I former candidate, I have personal experience). Most of the time, it's high school punks who have no particular political leanings -- they just want to steal crap from people's lawns. It is a crime in Ohio, but you pretty much have to be caught red-handed, and that's hard to do.

6. No. I believe the auto-recount kicks in at a margin of 1% or tighter, unless there is cause -- and then the party requesting the recount has to pay for it. As Hackett has already conceded, I don't think there will be a recount.

[DeepModem Mom]

9. Kick!

[windbreeze]

10. Would someone please post...

a link, any link, that proves Dems are facing the fact that we are not going to win any election when machines are involved? and that someone in the Dem party IS doing something about the situation...
The proof is out there that programs were written to rig elections, buried by Reps/Dems/MSM...and anytime A computer, ANY computer is used to tally votes...an election CAN BE stolen...it's just that simple...
It makes NO difference HOW CLOSE Hackett came...HE LOST...period!! When are we going to get sick and tired of tucking our tails between our legs and going home satisfied that we came SOOOOO close???? I was always told, close only counts when it comes to horseshoes and hand grenades...
This will be seen as ANOTHER LOSS by DEMS...how close it was, won't matter. When are we going to get TIRED OF LOSING??? Are we really ready to accept we have SO LITTLE INFLUENCE on AMERICAN voters???and IF that's TRUE...how the hell can we expect to WIN ANY ELECTION from here on out??? disgusted and on a rant this am...
windbreeze

[WCGreen]

11. To point out number 2

I served as one of two demcrats on the Cuyahoga County Board of Elections. By Ohio Law, there are two Dem's and two Repub's elected by the respective party's to fill the seats on the Board of Elections.

Now almost every person employed by the Board had either a republican or democratic counterpart....

The handcounts are done in the presence of at least one dem and one republican board member.

So the answer to you question is, representitives from both party's vuewed the handcount....

[Changenow]

15. Where I live the "Democrats" are really

really Republicans registered as Democrats.

[mopinko]

16. that's what i was going to say

it's the other way around in chicago, but it doesn't mean shit. if one party controls that area, they will have their people where they need them, and they will put on whatever label you need to put on people.
party id does not mean shit.

[WCGreen]

18. Maybe where you live it doesn't....

But since the dems elect the person on the board... Adn then expect them to hire the people they recommend, that the way it works in Ohio...

I served on the BOard for over a year. Went through three elections....

That's the way it is... You can insist on anything you wnat....

I know how it really works while you speculate....

[mopinko]

20. don't get your panties in a bunch

good, i'm glad things work in ohio. but this party crap does not work in a LOT of places. and you only have to look at joe biden to know that party membership does not mean shit, even in the u.s. senate.

[WCGreen]

21. It's boxer, by the way......

The people on the boards come from the aprty faithful...

The executive committee, which is made up of representives from the Precinctcommittee person, elected the arty's representative to the board...

that is why this is impartative that members od DU get active and have a say in how the local party is run.....

that is all

[babylonsister]

14. Question: will Schmidt's actions be called into question

for violating elections laws?
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=104x4246421

[freedomfries]

19. question about final figures

why are there two sets of final figures??
8/3/05 S 57974 H 54401
8/2/05 S 59095 H 55091

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=132x1980041

[Jeff In Milwaukee]

23. I think the short answer is "No"

if you're referencing her violation of the 100 ft. rule. Basically it's the job of the Election Judge (the "managing" poll worker at each poll location) to ensure that the law is being followed and to enforce the rule. If the judge didn't enforce it, Schmidt won't be prosecuted. And note that the worst that could have happened is that she would have been cited for trespassing -- it's not the sort of thing that would overturn an election.

[adolfo]

22. Clermont Screenshot Results

        CLERMONT

				

Time			Schmidt		Hackett		Precincts Reporting

9:28:08 AM		0		0		0/191
8:24:09 PM		1158		750		0/191
9:30:23 PM		7869		6099		100/191
10:49:17 PM		17320		12439		191/191

note: write-in votes not listed (0.20% of vote total)	

[freedomfries]

25. interesting Clermont analysis on billmon

http://billmon.org/archives/002073.html