Blackwell backs off, it seems
Oct. 4th, 2004 01:35 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
ergPaper
Weights or voter registrations? Registrations.
Dems keep eyes on ballots
By KRISTY DOUGLAS, T-R Staff Writer
Tuscarawas County voters needn’t worry that their voices won’t be heard on Nov. 2 despite recent criticism of Ohio Secretary of State J. Kenneth Blackwell’s handling of some voter registration and provisional ballot issues.
According to information at the secretary of state’s Web site, Blackwell stated in early September that any voter registration form not filed on 80-pound weight paper should be disregarded. He has since ordered that forms be processed even if they are not on the 80-pound paper.
Tuscarawas County Board of Elections Director Charles Miller stated that board officials accepted all voter registration forms they received, regardless of paper weight, as long as they were otherwise properly completed.
Ohio Democrats also filed a lawsuit earlier this week criticizing Blackwell’s directive that election officials not issue provisional ballots except in narrow circumstances.
“Unlike many other state election officials, Blackwell is specifically refusing to issue these ballots to voters who find themselves at a polling place other than the one for the precinct where they live. The federal Help America Vote Act of 2002, passed by Congress after the 2000 Florida recount, makes provisional ballots widely available to voters who are denied the right to vote on election day,” according to a press release posted at the Ohio Democratic Party Web site.
Miller said county election officials plan to handle walk-in voters in the same manner as they have for years: If a walk-in registered voter has moved to a new precinct and did not change his address, he still can vote in the new precinct.
Miller said election officials have been answering telephone calls from already registered voters who received new voter registration cards in the mail from organizations attempting to encourage people to vote.
He recommended that potential voters call the board of elections office at (330) 343-8819 if they are unsure whether they are registered. Monday is the deadline to register.
Weights or voter registrations? Registrations.
Dems keep eyes on ballots
By KRISTY DOUGLAS, T-R Staff Writer
Tuscarawas County voters needn’t worry that their voices won’t be heard on Nov. 2 despite recent criticism of Ohio Secretary of State J. Kenneth Blackwell’s handling of some voter registration and provisional ballot issues.
According to information at the secretary of state’s Web site, Blackwell stated in early September that any voter registration form not filed on 80-pound weight paper should be disregarded. He has since ordered that forms be processed even if they are not on the 80-pound paper.
Tuscarawas County Board of Elections Director Charles Miller stated that board officials accepted all voter registration forms they received, regardless of paper weight, as long as they were otherwise properly completed.
Ohio Democrats also filed a lawsuit earlier this week criticizing Blackwell’s directive that election officials not issue provisional ballots except in narrow circumstances.
“Unlike many other state election officials, Blackwell is specifically refusing to issue these ballots to voters who find themselves at a polling place other than the one for the precinct where they live. The federal Help America Vote Act of 2002, passed by Congress after the 2000 Florida recount, makes provisional ballots widely available to voters who are denied the right to vote on election day,” according to a press release posted at the Ohio Democratic Party Web site.
Miller said county election officials plan to handle walk-in voters in the same manner as they have for years: If a walk-in registered voter has moved to a new precinct and did not change his address, he still can vote in the new precinct.
Miller said election officials have been answering telephone calls from already registered voters who received new voter registration cards in the mail from organizations attempting to encourage people to vote.
He recommended that potential voters call the board of elections office at (330) 343-8819 if they are unsure whether they are registered. Monday is the deadline to register.
