Posted on 10/04/2008 10:37:05 AM PDT by buccaneer81
4,134 cast ballots for president Saturday, October 4, 2008 3:20 AM By Mark Niquette THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH
Ohio State University student Lauren Slutzky didn't want to risk having to wait for hours in a long line to vote on Election Day.
Eddie Booker, 68, of Columbus, has never voted before but wanted to be a part of history this year.
Both are among the thousands of Franklin County residents who went to Veterans Memorial during the opening days of early absentee voting this week, getting registered if they weren't on the rolls and casting ballots for the Nov. 4 election.
According to the county board of elections, of the 4,134 voters who cast absentee ballots through yesterday, 668 also registered to vote in what some are calling the "Golden Week" and others a recipe for fraud.
That's because until Monday's voter-registration deadline in Ohio, citizens can register to vote and immediately cast an absentee ballot. Absentee voting continues until the day before the election.
Republicans worry about ineligible voters casting ballots that won't be caught by elections workers. A lawsuit was filed yesterday with the Ohio Supreme Court to allow observers at the polls in the latest court fight over absentee voting.
But homeless advocates and others say "Golden Week" allows some people to vote who otherwise wouldn't have the chance, and other groups are pushing early voting to "lock down" votes of supporters and ease congestion at the polls on Election Day.
Bruce Springsteen is performing Sunday on the Oval at Ohio State University to encourage early voting for Democrat Barack Obama, basketball star LeBron James is joining a rally today in Cleveland, and efforts even are under way to register 400 youths in juvenile correctional facilities in Ohio.
Slutzky, a junior at OSU, decided to cast her ballot early to avoid any hassles on Election Day. She said Vote Today Ohio, which is supporting Obama and providing shuttles to and from the voting site, took her there Tuesday.
A Cincinnati native, Slutzky said she voted for Obama because she doesn't like Gov. Sarah Palin, Republican John McCain's running mate.
Booker said her sister-in-law encouraged her to vote this year and took her to Veterans Memorial to register and vote Wednesday. She also voted for Obama, the first African-American nominee for president from a major party.
Obama's campaign is making a strong push to get younger voters and blacks to cast absentee ballots this fall as part of its strategy for carrying Ohio.
Based on available data from Tuesday through Thursday, of those who registered and voted in Franklin County, 61 percent were younger than 35 and 80 percent were from Columbus. More than 80 percent of those who cast ballots and also voted in the March 4 primary were registered Democrats.
McCain's campaign says it also is targeting early voting as part of its grass-roots efforts, and the ages of those who have voted so far in Franklin County range from 18 to 90.
McCain already has a vote from one 90-year-old, William Totman of Columbus. "McCain is a veteran, and I'm a veteran," Totman said.
Nonpartisan groups also are getting involved.
For example, Faith Vote Columbus, a coalition of religious congregations, organized a fleet of vans to give voters rides from churches, homeless shelters, soup kitchens and other locations, spokesman Ari Lipman said.
Republicans say anyone who is eligible should vote but want observers at the polls to make sure there is no fraud, citing reports of people being offered alcohol to register or other questionable activity.
Secretary of State Jennifer Brunner, a Democrat, has ruled the law doesn't allow observers for absentee voting. Yesterday, former Republican Franklin County Commissioner Dewey Stokes sued after he was denied access as an observer.
The lawsuit in the state Supreme Court argues that state law allows observers at polling places -- whether it's on Election Day or for early voting -- and that Brunner should want observers from both parties.
"The point is, transparency demands that you at least allow people to observe the process," former Ohio Attorney General Jim Petro said in a conference call with reporters.
In a statement, Brunner accused Republicans of attacking the state's bipartisan elections system and noted that the law specifically allows observers when absentee ballots are processed and counted on Election Day.
"I am not philosophically opposed to observers during in-person absentee voting, but the legislature simply has not given me the authority to require that action," Brunner said.
mniquette@dispatch.com
Gee, wonder who he voted for? /sarc
With a name like that...
Shocking, I tell you...
Bimbo eruption ;-)
Ohio is being rolled by the Obamabots. Why else wouldn’t Brunner allow Republicans to observe the early balloting? The fix is in.
...they still can find a reason to vote FOR Obama.
Maybe I’m crazy, but this sure doesn’t seem like a lot of votes up to this point. I’m guessing this is only for the one county? I’d be interested to see what the other counties turnout is thus far.
It sounds to me like they don’t have a reason to vote for Obama...except that he’s black.
That’s what I hear over and over again. Interview after interview. Most blacks will tell them how excited they are that this is the first time a black person has been on the ticket.
But I guess they don’t see that as being racist.
If they happen to go back home and vote again then that's all the better for Obama.
| TOTAL | 4,134 |
| McCain | 4,000 |
| Obama | 13,400 |
There fixed it. Without Obama, the homeless in Chicago would never have had the chance to vote in Ohio.
Correct. Franklin County, city of Columbus and inner suburbs, rough population 1.2 million.
2 Chronicles 14:8-15 (
8Asa had an army of 300,000 men out of Judah, who bore bucklers and spears, and 280,000 out of Benjamin, who bore shields and drew bows, all mighty men of courage.
9There came out against Judah Zerah the Ethiopian with a host of a million [that is, too many to be numbered] and 300 chariots, and came as far as Mareshah.
10Then Asa went out against him, and they set up their lines of battle in the Valley of Zephathah at Mareshah.
11Asa cried to the Lord his God, O Lord, there is none besides You to help, and it makes no difference to You whether the one You help is mighty or powerless. Help us, O Lord our God! For we rely on You, and we go against this multitude in Your name. O Lord, You are our God; let no man prevail against You!
12So the Lord smote the Ethiopians before Asa and Judah, and the Ethiopians fled.
13Asa and the people with him pursued them to Gerar; and the Ethiopians were overthrown, so that none remained alive; for they were destroyed before the Lord and His host, who carried away very much booty.
MAN, WHAT A VICTORY Have faith and continue to pray and fast. The battle we are fighting is a spiritual one against the demons from hell themselves!!
I agree, Ohio also has a 30 day registration requirement so this would be about the last day to register
Cleveland Plain Dealer reporting that only 3000 people have voted early in Cuyahoga County. Early voting ain’t working there. The ACORN plan is flopping.
Really glad to hear that!
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