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You are here: Home / Past Elections / Election 2012 / Buckeye Of The Storm

Buckeye Of The Storm

by Zandar|  November 2, 20129:43 am| 101 Comments

This post is in: Election 2012, Vote Like Your Country Depends On It, All we want is life beyond the thunderdome, Bring On The Meteor, Our Failed Political Establishment

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Turns out Ohio GOP Secretary of State Jon Husted is making Ken “Let’s give Ohio to Bush!” Blackwell look like a saint.

Pollsters and pundits have trained their eyes on Ohio, where President Obama maintains a narrow lead over Mitt Romney just days before the election. According to exit polls, Obama’s lead is even stronger among early voters. But several recent developments threaten to disenfranchise many of these voters and plunge Ohio into a bureaucratic nightmare on election night.

The Columbus Dispatch reported on Thursday that a data-sharing glitch and mistakes by election officials have caused thousands of absentee ballot requests to be rejected. While Ohio Secretary of State Jon Husted maintains that this was a computer error, the Northeast Ohio Voter Advocates found an abnormally high rate of rejected absentee ballot requests in Cuyahoga County, a Democratic stronghold that includes Cleveland. The Cuyahoga Board of Elections determined that 865 ballot requests had been erroneously thrown out.

If these voters try to cast their vote in person, they will likely be forced to use a provisional ballot, as the absentee ballot error has thrown their registration status into question. At least 4,500 registered voters across the state will be left waiting for their absentee ballots, while as many as 6,000 provisional ballots cast by registered voters could be tossed out. The provisional ballots that do not get thrown out won’t be counted until November 17, according to state law, further dragging out the confusion.

And you thought Florida’s 2000 recount fun was awesome.   Between this and Josh Romney’s involvement in voting machines in Hamilton County/Cincinnati, Tuesday night could be really, really long.

Like, weeks.

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Reader Interactions

101Comments

  1. 1.

    Walker

    November 2, 2012 at 9:47 am

    This is bad. I do not want to discount that.

    But these numbers are nothing. Obama’s Ohio lead is much larger than these numbers.

  2. 2.

    Fezzik

    November 2, 2012 at 9:49 am

    Let’s just win NV, CO, IA, and NH (even better, add VA and FL) and we won’t have to worry about Ohio at all.

  3. 3.

    Schlemizel

    November 2, 2012 at 9:49 am

    Praise FSM (blessed be His name) that President Obama does not need Ohio to win the election. Hopefully these scummy tricks will fail to do the job for rMoney/rAyn and Berry will take Ohio anyway.

  4. 4.

    The Other Bob

    November 2, 2012 at 9:49 am

    The good thing is, if Obama’s polling numbers hold, it will be pretty hard to swing 2 or 3 percentage points through systemetic election fraud. Florida 2000 was much tighter.

  5. 5.

    Schlemizel

    November 2, 2012 at 9:50 am

    Praise FSM (blessed be His name) that President Obama does not need Ohio to win the election. Hopefully these scummy tricks will fail to do the job for rMoney/rAyn and Berry will take Ohio anyway.

  6. 6.

    Fezzik

    November 2, 2012 at 9:50 am

    Let’s just win NV, CO, IA, and NH (even better, add VA and FL) and we won’t have to worry about Ohio at all.

  7. 7.

    Emma

    November 2, 2012 at 9:50 am

    I am sure that Democrats knew this was coming. Making sure it’s VERY public it’s a beginning.

  8. 8.

    PopeRatzo

    November 2, 2012 at 9:51 am

    Can’t we just skip to the guillotines right now? Or do we have to go through the tedium of more stolen elections, more phony wars, more tax cuts for the richest?

    Patience my ass. I want revolution NOW.

  9. 9.

    Comrade Javamanphil

    November 2, 2012 at 9:51 am

    VA, WI, NH (or NV.) OH then becomes irrelevant.

  10. 10.

    Cassidy

    November 2, 2012 at 9:52 am

    I will never understand how those people sleep at night.

  11. 11.

    Robin G.

    November 2, 2012 at 9:52 am

    Out of curiosity, does anyone know if Obama can not need Ohio? Like, if he swings VA (likely), NC (possible), and FL (a girl can dream), does that hit 270?

    I could probably find this out myself, but I’ve got a ten week old with a headcold squalling in my arms and this sort of research is trickier with an iPhone covered in snot.

  12. 12.

    General Stuck

    November 2, 2012 at 9:52 am

    Hamilton county, and maybe Butler as well are the perfect metro areas for the nutters to run up fake numbers for the cause. The good news is, or maybe not so bad news, is that most of the republican voters live in a thousand small towns across Ohio, like in most states. That is harder to cheat with numbers big enough to make a difference, except of course shenanigans at wingnut central command, that like in 2004 happens to be in the Ohio Secretary of States office. A little more good news is that Obama does not absolutely need Ohio to win, like Romney does.

  13. 13.

    Buckeyevoter

    November 2, 2012 at 9:52 am

    There is also the court battle Husted won yesterday to be allowed to throw out the ballots of people who mistakenly vote in the wrong precinct, EVEN WHEN GIVEN WRONG INFORMATION BY POLL WORKERS! Precincts often share polling stations, and it can be confusing. I mean, who goes to court to be allowed to throw out ballots when his poll workers are wrong? He is a psychopath.

    I don’t post here very often, because you all usually say it all (and much better than I can!) but just had to vent.

  14. 14.

    Southern Beale

    November 2, 2012 at 9:52 am

    So now people in Ohio know if they elect a Republican governor, voter suppression efforts follow. This is two in a row, can’t be a coincidence, must be a plank in the platform.

    Good to know. Hope the Dems use this next election. “Here’s what happens when you elect a Republican governor: they try to take away your right to vote.” Just put that on a fucking bumper sticker or TV ad and be done with already.

    Here’s a roundup of good news for the week …

  15. 15.

    1badbaba3

    November 2, 2012 at 9:54 am

    Husted should probably study up on prison survival strategies, and share them with his friends. They are going to need them.

    I’m sure he’ll be very popular.

  16. 16.

    Dan

    November 2, 2012 at 9:57 am

    @Robin G.: Florida alone would be better than Ohio.

  17. 17.

    Cacti

    November 2, 2012 at 9:57 am

    This daily dispatch of gloom and doom has been brought to you by Zandar.

  18. 18.

    Punchy

    November 2, 2012 at 9:57 am

    If Obummer takes Wisky, the Hawkeye state, Colly, and Virginia, Im not sure he’ll even need Ohio….

  19. 19.

    Dave

    November 2, 2012 at 9:59 am

    Win Nevada, Colorado, Wisconsin, Iowa and NH and you wouldn’t need Ohio.

  20. 20.

    redshirt

    November 2, 2012 at 10:00 am

    They’ve crossed every other line when it comes to elections – why not outright theft? They’ve got judges too. All they need to do is murk up the waters enough, get the Right Wing Wurlitzer screaming at deafening levels, throw in some “random” violence, and voila! Your Republican Democracy in action.

    These people make me sick – sicker still to think there are millions of Americans who support them.

  21. 21.

    Todd

    November 2, 2012 at 10:00 am

    @PopeRatzo:

    Guillotines take time to set up. Machine guns are better.

  22. 22.

    Scott S.

    November 2, 2012 at 10:00 am

    @1badbaba3: This. I think it’s long past time that we started treating election shenanigans as crimes worthy of time in prison. That’s probably the case already if you’re poor and not-white, but it’s time we started making it a jail-worthy crime for the bigwigs pushing fraudulent elections, too.

  23. 23.

    PreservedKillick

    November 2, 2012 at 10:01 am

    @Emma:

    I am sure that Democrats knew this was coming. Making sure it’s VERY public it’s a beginning.

    I am not thinking that screwing with voters or polling places or votes in any of the swing states is going to be super likely. There is going to be such insane scrutiny, such insane reward (in PR) for finding issues, that it’s just not likely. They can draw this out, but I doubt they can move the result.

    Electronic hijacking? That worries me just a touch.

    That said, it is my fondest wish that not a single race is close enough for any of this to come to pass, if only so that we don’t end up looking like the worst banana republic in the world. Again.

  24. 24.

    hep kitty

    November 2, 2012 at 10:06 am

    This guy, what a complete skeezebag. An Attorney General who refuses to accept, and has appealed, the ruling of US Circuit Court on a matter that, up until now, was long settled! And here we are just a few days away from the election, NOW THIS.

    What a worthless piece of crap excuse for an AG.

  25. 25.

    Elizabelle

    November 2, 2012 at 10:06 am

    Meanwhile, hearing scheduled for today, in Virginia. Per reporter Corinne Reilly, in the Washington Post:

    The Fairfax County Democratic Committee is suing state and local elections officials over what the committee says is an illegal attempt by Republicans to change rules about elections observers with the aim of reducing votes in Virginia’s biggest Democratic stronghold.
    __
    … For years, the Democrats say, both parties’ observers — often lawyers — have been able to move freely at polling stations. They couldn’t say anything about how voters should cast their ballots, but they could speak with them about their rights. This year, though, volunteer poll workers are being advised in training that the observers may do nothing more than watch.
    __
    Among other things, that means the observers wouldn’t be allowed to advise voters who lack proper identification that they can go home and get it, said Cesar del Aguila, chairman of the Fairfax Democratic Committee. Nor would they be able to intervene when voters are improperly issued provisional ballots, which don’t always end up being counted.
    __
    …[Fairfax County, a] blue-leaning county is the commonwealth’s most populous jurisdiction as well as its largest source of potential Democratic votes.
    __
    … The suit mentions the county’s new general registrar, [Ms.] Cameron Quinn, who is a longtime Republican activist.
    __
    …For months, Fairfax Democrats have been raising concerns about fairness on Election Day. In addition to Quinn, they’ve questioned the impartiality of Hans von Spakovsky, who is vice chairman of the electoral board and one of the nation’s most prominent advocates of voter ID laws, which generally favor Republicans.

    In the comments section, someone who purports to be a longtime election worker advises that parties might check on their voters’ ID while they’re in line, waiting to vote.

    OFA has been pretty vocal about taking the correct ID to the polls.

    BUT what the Democrats are proposing is within the lines of Virginia law. They are not “interfering” with someone’s right to cast a vote. Quite the opposite.

    Per a commenter, here’s pertinent part of the Code of Virginia, and what the Democrats propose appears to be fine. It’s hardly impeding or interfering.:

    D. It shall be unlawful for any authorized representative, voter, or any other person in the room to (i) hinder or delay a qualified voter; (ii) give, tender, or exhibit any ballot, ticket, or other campaign material to any person; (iii) solicit or in any manner attempt to influence any person in casting his vote; (iv) hinder or delay any officer of election; (v) be in a position to see the marked ballot of any other voter; or (vi) otherwise impede the orderly conduct of the election.

    Sorry to hog so much space, but this seems very important.

    Corinne Reilly’s reporting serves the public more than that of her colleague Chris Cillizza.

  26. 26.

    Raven

    November 2, 2012 at 10:07 am

    @Todd: Yea, you guys are going to machine gun people. right

  27. 27.

    bushworstpresidentever

    November 2, 2012 at 10:07 am

    Ohio is going to make Florida 2000 seem like child’s play. Obama needs to get to 270 without it on election night, so it becomes irrelevant.
    And to compound the worry, check out the still on going power outages in Ohio, concentrated in Northeast Ohio Democratic strongholds of Cleveland and Cuyahoga County.

    http://outages.firstenergycorp.com/oh.html

  28. 28.

    hep kitty

    November 2, 2012 at 10:09 am

    @Southern Beale: Being from SC, I used to consider “yankehs” like people from OH to be way smarter than us. Well this, along with some personal experience with OH transplants, has changed my mind.

    Join the club, you idiots.

  29. 29.

    The Moar You Know

    November 2, 2012 at 10:09 am

    One of the unavoidable flaws of Balloon Juice is that it has a national focus. It should; we’re all over the map. But that national focus does take away some emphasis on state and local races, and let’s face it, folks, the state and local results have far more of an impact over your day-to-day lives than the presidential wins do.

    Case in point: this jerk Husted in Ohio.

    Stalin (who I renounce daily) always said that it’s not who votes but who counts the votes that’s the most important thing. In this he was correct. A lot of people pay very little attention to the people running for Secretary of State, but if this race were much tighter in Ohio than it is, this revolting fucker Husted could be THE guy who decides who the next president is.

    He could also decide, were it much closer, the current Senate contest in Ohio. He could determine the Congressional race outcomes. He could determine the outcome of any closely contested race right down to the composition of your local school board. That’s a lot more power, when you think about it, than any other person who’s on the ballot, right on up to the President of the United States.

    We are blessed to have a great Secretary of State here in California, Debra Bowen. I wish other states could be so fortunate. The Democratic Party needs to start focusing much more on Secretary of State elections, and starts needing to put a lot more money and muscle behind those contests, because we all know that if there’s an election to be stolen, a Republican will steal it unless there’s some honest supervision from above.

  30. 30.

    hep kitty

    November 2, 2012 at 10:12 am

    @Todd: If the other side could have their way, they would mow every single one of us down in the streets.

    And then they would cry and gnash teeth when they realize they have no one left to hate and blame for their monumentally idiotic mistakes.

  31. 31.

    Cacti

    November 2, 2012 at 10:14 am

    I keep forgetting, am I supposed to wet myself before or after I dive under my bed?

    Haaaaalp! The Republicans are a’comin!

  32. 32.

    1badbaba3

    November 2, 2012 at 10:15 am

    @Scott S.: Thanks. I’m trying to project equanimity, but it’s tough with these evil derpmeisters. Hard to shake the feeling that Marcellus Wallace solutions would be best for them.

  33. 33.

    Joel

    November 2, 2012 at 10:16 am

    @Emma: Yes; the fact that we’re hearing about this already means that the impact will be thoroughly blunted, IMHO.

  34. 34.

    a hip hop artist from Idaho (fka Bella Q)

    November 2, 2012 at 10:16 am

    Husted is indeed a vile and smarmy shitstain. And has done everything he could (be told to do)to try to keep the state from being blue November 6. I continue to be cheered, however, by the
    Busken Cookie Poll. Today It stands at 12423 – 10803, advantage Obama. Interesting was hearing Page Busken on Marketwatch last month. He’s a BYU grad and big donoe and he said in 2008 he’d have bet the country that Obama would win, because he led (the cookies) from day one and never lost the lead. This year, first day sales, and all that followed… favored Obama. It’s a tiny glimmer of hopeful reassurance.

    Oh,and since Stuck mentioned Butler County, Romney is in West Chester for a rally with Kid Rock today.

  35. 35.

    Zandar

    November 2, 2012 at 10:17 am

    @Cacti: Pretending Husted isn’t trying to rig the election magically fails to solve the problem.

  36. 36.

    Cacti

    November 2, 2012 at 10:18 am

    @Zandar:

    Pretending Husted isn’t trying to rig the election magically fails to solve the problem.

    When in danger, or in doubt, run in circles scream and shout.

  37. 37.

    Tomolitics

    November 2, 2012 at 10:21 am

    @Cassidy:

    I will never understand how those people sleep at night.

    On a mattress stuffed with C-notes.

  38. 38.

    GxB

    November 2, 2012 at 10:22 am

    While I agree that the scale of fraud required for Rmoney to pull this off is currently impossible, the fact that we continue to give these corrupt shitclams the opportunity to hone their craft is alarming. We can continue to think demographics are about to make the GoP irrelevant permanently, and maybe so, but these fuckers don’t take losing well, and they cannot stand not being in power.

  39. 39.

    Scott S.

    November 2, 2012 at 10:22 am

    @Cacti: I’m not sure that the ostrich method you seem to prefer is going to be particularly useful…

  40. 40.

    patrick II

    November 2, 2012 at 10:23 am

    If you are going to significantly interfere with a federal election, I think it would be wise to be assured that it puts your side over the top nationally as it did Florida in 2000, or perhaps Ohio in ’04. Screwing with a federal election that your side loses may have different consequences — the justice department won’t be run by a guy appointed by your brother.

  41. 41.

    Cacti

    November 2, 2012 at 10:24 am

    @Scott S.:

    I’m not sure that the ostrich method you seem to prefer is going to be particularly useful…

    On the other hand, shouting “we’re all doomed” from a bullhorn is highly productive.

  42. 42.

    1badbaba3

    November 2, 2012 at 10:25 am

    @Cacti: If you put your diaper on tight it doesn’t matter.

    h/t experience

  43. 43.

    Joel

    November 2, 2012 at 10:26 am

    @Scott S.: If you guys are so effin’ concerned, why don’t you get in touch with OFA and voice your concern? I’m sure that 1 they will reassure you and 2 they’ll give you useful ideas for what you can do to help Obama win Ohio and elsewhere.

  44. 44.

    anonymous

    November 2, 2012 at 10:27 am

    @redshirt:

    These people make me sick – sicker still to think there are millions of Americans who support them.

    I saw a great tweet yesterday or the day before, something like “Future historians will have an interesting project in looking at all the ‘reasonable’ people who gave the extreme Republican Party cover.”

    Wanted to save/bookmark it, or whatever, but can’t find it now.

    Best thing written on this is of course Krugman’s few paragraphs in one of his books labeling the Republicans a “revolutionary power” a la Kissinger. From a google hit:

    In those first few pages, Kissinger describes the problems confronting a heretofore stable diplomatic system when it is faced with a “revolutionary power” — a power that does not accept that system’s legitimacy. … It seems clear to me that one should regard America’s right-wing movement — which now in effect controls the administration, both houses of Congress, much of the judiciary, and a good slice of the media — as a revolutionary power in Kissinger’s sense. That is, it is a movement whose leaders do not accept the legitimacy of our current political system.

  45. 45.

    Cacti

    November 2, 2012 at 10:27 am

    @Joel:

    If you guys are so effin’ concerned, why don’t you get in touch with OFA and voice your concern? I’m sure that 1 they will reassure you and 2 they’ll give you useful ideas for what you can do to help Obama win Ohio and elsewhere.

    That would require engagement + effort.

  46. 46.

    Roger Moore

    November 2, 2012 at 10:29 am

    @Cassidy:

    I will never understand how those people sleep at night.

    On top of a pile of money with many beautiful ladies.

  47. 47.

    GxB

    November 2, 2012 at 10:31 am

    @Cassidy: The one’s I’ve known sleep like babies (or so they say.) They’re the righteous and the just, and they know this ‘cuz their megachurch pastor told them so. Delusion – it’s what’s for dinner here in Merka.

    Now watch this drive…

  48. 48.

    xian

    November 2, 2012 at 10:36 am

    we’re winning floriday and ohio

  49. 49.

    Scott S.

    November 2, 2012 at 10:38 am

    @Joel: (shrug) I’m not actually too worried about it. I think Obama’s very likely to win, and I think any election shenanigans Husted tries to pull will likely be unsuccessful or ineffective.

    But I don’t see any problem with people saying “Hey, this could be a problem.” Blind and unrelenting optimists do us no favors.

  50. 50.

    Cervantes

    November 2, 2012 at 10:41 am

    @anonymous: Steve Van Evera, former journalist in the civil-rights era, then political scientist and colleague at MIT, pointed out ten-fifteen years ago that the Republicans had become Bolsheviks in all but name and nationality. True then, even more so now.

  51. 51.

    The Other Bob

    November 2, 2012 at 10:46 am

    @The Moar You Know:

    One of the unavoidable flaws of Balloon Juice is that it has a national focus. It should; we’re all over the map.

    Maybe Cole will sign off on a few of us creating State chapters of Balloon-Juice. I call Michigan.

  52. 52.

    danielx

    November 2, 2012 at 10:46 am

    @1badbaba3:

    True dat – every time I read an article featuring Jon Husted I keep wondering why this guy isn’t in jail already.

  53. 53.

    SFAW

    November 2, 2012 at 10:51 am

    @The Other Bob:

    Maybe Cole will sign off on a few of us creating State chapters of Balloon-Juice. I call Michigan.

    Good choice.

    Me? I’m signing up for Aruba (or someplace similar).

  54. 54.

    SFAW

    November 2, 2012 at 10:52 am

    @danielx:

    True dat – every time I read an article featuring Jon Husted I keep wondering why this guy isn’t in jail already.

    It’s Chinatown Ohio, Jake.

  55. 55.

    lacp

    November 2, 2012 at 10:56 am

    What? References to Florida 2000 and not a single Thanksralph? You folks are falling down on the job.

  56. 56.

    SFAW

    November 2, 2012 at 10:59 am

    @lacp:

    Thanksralph.

    Happy now?

  57. 57.

    LanceThruster

    November 2, 2012 at 11:00 am

    I am not a violent man, but if they screw the pooch on this there needs to be some heads on pikes to send a message to those inclined towards future shenanigans.

  58. 58.

    lacp

    November 2, 2012 at 11:02 am

    @SFAW: Excellent.

  59. 59.

    Judas Escargot, Bringer of Loaves and Fish Sandwiches

    November 2, 2012 at 11:05 am

    This is why the Ohio Firewall strategy always made be nervous: It leaves a single point of attack, way too easy to steal.

    If Obama goes into Tuesday morning with poll margins at or over 2-3% in enough swing states to give him multiple paths to victory, it becomes much more difficult for the underlings of the GOP to outright steal.

  60. 60.

    1badbaba3

    November 2, 2012 at 11:10 am

    @The Other Bob: Well, President Romney says we should give things back to the States. So, will Cole cede power from BJ Central to the States? Will someone fire the first salvo at Fort Tunch? Who gets to be Jeff Davis? Or Bobby Lee?

    Ooh Ooh, dibs on Uncle Billy. I hear Savannah is beautiful this time of year. Got to be better than cold, gray, and 43°.

  61. 61.

    1badbaba3

    November 2, 2012 at 11:11 am

    @The Other Bob: Well, President Romney says we should give things back to the States. So, will Cole cede power from BJ Central to the States? Will someone fire the first salvo at Fort Tunch? Who gets to be Jeff Davis? Or Bobby Lee?

    Ooh Ooh, dibs on Uncle Billy. I hear Savannah is beautiful this time of year. Got to be better than cold, gray, and 43°.

  62. 62.

    D.N. Nation

    November 2, 2012 at 11:14 am

    Election tampering of this scale is treasonous, and should tired as such.

  63. 63.

    SFAW

    November 2, 2012 at 11:17 am

    @Judas Escargot, Bringer of Loaves and Fish Sandwiches:

    it becomes much more difficult for the underlings of the GOP to outright steal.

    Where there’s a will, there’s a way.

  64. 64.

    Michael

    November 2, 2012 at 11:18 am

    In Ohio, Obama’s projected lead by polling aggregate is somewhere between 60-120K votes. So it would take a far bigger effort than the one described to undermine the election to that scale.

    That being said, we should not blithely accept this garbage. But that (a) a more concentrated effort by democratic activists and the national party at retaking state houses, governorships, etc, and (b) a vigorous effort to investigate and prosecute this sort of thing to the end, even if we win.

  65. 65.

    SFAW

    November 2, 2012 at 11:28 am

    @D.N. Nation:

    However: IOKIYAR.

  66. 66.

    LanceThruster

    November 2, 2012 at 11:30 am

    @D.N. Nation:

    x2

  67. 67.

    anonymous

    November 2, 2012 at 11:34 am

    @Cervantes:
    Funny you mention that—I went to MIT for grad school (not in anything related to poli sci or history) and went to one or two of his public talks.

    One I really liked was about US interventionism: “Less would be better.” The pitch seemed much more effective than the usual “Bloody US imperialists…”

    Then, I think it was a remark not a lecture, he said something about it would be good (from a tactical perspective) for the American left (or maybe liberals? I can’t recall) to be more Leninist, meaning more disciplined, tighter messaging, etc.

    Seemed like a really good guy.

  68. 68.

    anonymous

    November 2, 2012 at 11:36 am

    @D.N. Nation:
    Agreed that it’s treasonous, per the dictionary defintion, but as far as the legal definition is concerned, it doesn’t fit.

    Though IMHO it should be a felony, which nasty, nasty minimum sentences (10+ years).

  69. 69.

    Matt McIrvin

    November 2, 2012 at 11:37 am

    @Robin G.: VA, NC and FL would be way more than enough. VA or NC alone gives him almost as many electoral votes as Ohio, and he’s got a little cushion that would probably put him over the top unless he also loses Wisconsin or Iowa. FL gives him way more; if Obama wins Florida this is all over.

    But those states all look less blue than Ohio right now, so it’s not something I’d bank on.

    Obama can win, in fact, without OH, VA, NC or FL, but it’s harder. He’d need to hold onto CO, NH, WI and IA, which gets him to 272 electoral votes. If he’s in a situation where he’s losing Ohio, that’s a tall order, but I suppose it might provide some protection against the scenario where Ohio gets flipped fraudulently.

  70. 70.

    LanceThruster

    November 2, 2012 at 11:46 am

    @anonymous:

    What’s the dictionary def wrt “treason” on violating the Constitution?

    In my mind, the entire Shrubya Admin was guilty.

  71. 71.

    Cervantes

    November 2, 2012 at 11:51 am

    @Robin G.: This may help.

    And congratulations on the new baby!

  72. 72.

    bcinaz

    November 2, 2012 at 11:57 am

    The most obvious solution to Ohio is make it irrelevant. Romney has no path to 270 without Ohio. Obama has many and some of them don’t include Ohio. So let’s just make sure O wins everywhere else, and leave OH to count it’s votes from now until Christmas.

    And

    Dear People of Ohio, please in the future, elect a competent SoS who can at least carry out the primary duties of his/her office.

    Thank you.

  73. 73.

    nellcote

    November 2, 2012 at 12:00 pm

    “The Free Press has obtained internal memos from the senior staff of the Ohio Secretary of State’s office confirming the installation of untested and uncertified election tabulation software. Yesterday, the Free Press reported that “experimental” software patches were installed on ES&S voting machines in 39 Ohio counties. (see Will “experimental” software patches affect the Ohio vote?).
    […]
    Seske begins by explaining what she purports to be the purpose of the software patch: “Its function is to aid in the reporting of results that are already uploaded into the county’s system. The software formats results that have already been uploaded by the county into a format that can be read by the Secretary of State’s election night reporting system.”

    According to the contract between the Ohio Secretary of State’s office and ES&S, this last minute “experimental” software update will supposedly transmit custom election night reports to the Secretary of State’s office from the county boards of elections, bypassing the normal election night reporting methods.

    In order to justify this unusual parallel reporting method, Seske explains “It is not part of the certified Unity system, so it did not require federal testing.”
    […]

    http://www.freepress.org/departments/display/19/2012/4768

  74. 74.

    nellcote

    November 2, 2012 at 12:00 pm

    “The Free Press has obtained internal memos from the senior staff of the Ohio Secretary of State’s office confirming the installation of untested and uncertified election tabulation software. Yesterday, the Free Press reported that “experimental” software patches were installed on ES&S voting machines in 39 Ohio counties. (see Will “experimental” software patches affect the Ohio vote?).
    […]
    Seske begins by explaining what she purports to be the purpose of the software patch: “Its function is to aid in the reporting of results that are already uploaded into the county’s system. The software formats results that have already been uploaded by the county into a format that can be read by the Secretary of State’s election night reporting system.”

    According to the contract between the Ohio Secretary of State’s office and ES&S, this last minute “experimental” software update will supposedly transmit custom election night reports to the Secretary of State’s office from the county boards of elections, bypassing the normal election night reporting methods.

    In order to justify this unusual parallel reporting method, Seske explains “It is not part of the certified Unity system, so it did not require federal testing.”
    […]

    http://www.freepress.org/departments/display/19/2012/4768

  75. 75.

    nellcote

    November 2, 2012 at 12:01 pm

    “The Free Press has obtained internal memos from the senior staff of the Ohio Secretary of State’s office confirming the installation of untested and uncertified election tabulation software. Yesterday, the Free Press reported that “experimental” software patches were installed on ES&S voting machines in 39 Ohio counties. (see Will “experimental” software patches affect the Ohio vote?).
    […]
    Seske begins by explaining what she purports to be the purpose of the software patch: “Its function is to aid in the reporting of results that are already uploaded into the county’s system. The software formats results that have already been uploaded by the county into a format that can be read by the Secretary of State’s election night reporting system.”

    According to the contract between the Ohio Secretary of State’s office and ES&S, this last minute “experimental” software update will supposedly transmit custom election night reports to the Secretary of State’s office from the county boards of elections, bypassing the normal election night reporting methods.

    In order to justify this unusual parallel reporting method, Seske explains “It is not part of the certified Unity system, so it did not require federal testing.”
    […]

    http://www.freepress.org/departments/display/19/2012/4768

  76. 76.

    Don

    November 2, 2012 at 12:19 pm

    @Robin G.: “iPhone covered in snot” FTW!

  77. 77.

    cyntax

    November 2, 2012 at 12:25 pm

    While it’s important to keep up to date on what the Repubs are doing and make sure they’re held accountable, lets not forget that Obama is up a few percentage points (so this ain’t Florida 2000), and there are approx. 11.5 million people in Ohio. Or to put it another way, to close a gap of 1%, they’d need to tamper with 115,000 votes.

  78. 78.

    Mr Stagger Lee

    November 2, 2012 at 12:40 pm

    I would like to think maybe the dumbass AG Holder (if the president wins re-election)will…. like investigate some of these corrupt Secretaries of State instead of going after people who run medical marijuana dispensaries, or whistleblowers.

  79. 79.

    Humanities Grad

    November 2, 2012 at 12:41 pm

    @cyntax:

    Not that many–recall, only about 50% of the population actually votes.

    However, while this is certainly worth keeping an eye on, IMHO (as an Ohioan) it’s not something I’m panicking over. If we can push the President’s statewide margin over 100k votes, which should be doable (the Obama field offices here are REALLY well organized and have been here since the summer–most of Romney’s offices didn’t even set up shop until around Labor Day), then any little fiddling around the margins by that incompetent twit Husted won’t matter.

  80. 80.

    Another Halocene Human

    November 2, 2012 at 12:45 pm

    @Cassidy: They hate nears and near-lovers, who they believe are demonic, degenerate subhuman scum who have despoiled everything good and pure about American culture and the American way of life.

    If you don’t see your enemy as human, you have no moral scruples.

  81. 81.

    Speculum Spatula

    November 2, 2012 at 12:45 pm

    But what’s great is how the Democratic party saw this coming, having learned its lessons beginning with the debacles of 2000 and 2004, and have been screaming from the rooftops about corrupt republican voter suppression and cheating for the last four years.

    I have never been prouder of the aggressive, pre-emptive stand of my party.

    Oh…wait…

  82. 82.

    Speculum Spatula

    November 2, 2012 at 12:48 pm

    @Cacti:

    This daily dispatch of gloom and doom has been brought to you by Zandar.

    Because Cacti only wants to hear loud clapping and see rainbows and smiley face clouds floating across a clear blue sky.

  83. 83.

    bryan

    November 2, 2012 at 12:51 pm

    @Cervantes:
    First time posting here at BJ, but so happy you mentioned Steve Van Evera

    I woke up on September 11, 2001 to see the attacks on TV. By 11am, I was sitting in the second lecture of the semester of Van Evera’s class in American Foreign Policy (17.40)

    He threw out the syllabus for the day (and the next several,) and proceeded to explain to ~140 students exactly what had happened, who had done it, and what was going to happen. Still amazes me how on point he was. Great teacher and all around great guy.

  84. 84.

    Speculum Spatula

    November 2, 2012 at 1:19 pm

    @Mr Stagger Lee:

    I would like to think maybe the dumbass AG Holder (if the president wins re-election)will…. like investigate some of these corrupt Secretaries of State instead of going after people who run medical marijuana dispensaries, or whistleblowers.

    To act in such a way would be severely partisan and thus disallowed under an Obama administration.

    Also, Holder is black so you’re a racist

  85. 85.

    Emma

    November 2, 2012 at 1:19 pm

    @Speculum Spatula: Ah… the story is about the Democratic party screaming from the rooftops about it.

    Oh. I read your other comments. Never mind. Troll.

  86. 86.

    Roy G.

    November 2, 2012 at 1:32 pm

    Ohio has such a sordid history of Republican voter fraud in the 21st century that Husted thinks this is just another day at the office. Let’s go back down the memory hole.
    This is what happened to the Republican bagman who fixed the 2004 election:

    Republican IT Specialist Dies in Plane Crash
    http://www.democracynow.org/2008/12/22/republican_it_specialist_dies_in_plane

    And more ancient history about the US Attorney scandal, which also centered around voter fraud:

    http://www.justice-integrity.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=453:cutting-through-vote-fraud-claims-hypocrisy

    One thing I find comforting in the night is Anonymous: I’ve heard that they are poised to expose the Republicans computerized voter fraud schemes should Romney ‘win’ the election under mysterious circumstances.

  87. 87.

    Citizen Alan

    November 2, 2012 at 1:33 pm

    @anonymous:

    I saw a great tweet yesterday or the day before, something like “Future historians will have an interesting project in looking at all the ‘reasonable’ people who gave the extreme Republican Party cover.”

    I imagine most future historians will all come from India and China and will be too busy running the planet to care about how America fell from being one of the most powerful nations in human history to being a land of subliterate hillbillies who water their crops with Brawndo.

  88. 88.

    wenchacha

    November 2, 2012 at 1:33 pm

    sonofamotherfuckingbitch

  89. 89.

    cyntax

    November 2, 2012 at 1:37 pm

    @Humanities Grad:

    Ah, good point about percent who votes; felt like I was overlooking something. So about 50,000 votes needed to close each percentage point. Glad to hear the GOTV effort is well organized.

  90. 90.

    El Cid

    November 2, 2012 at 1:50 pm

    I wish I could feel like a loss would make it more rather than less likely for Republicans’ efforts to destroy the electoral system.

    But no, even if they lose Ohio, even if they lose strongly, it’ll just make them more committed to do everything they can to destroy whatever pretense of fair elections there were.

  91. 91.

    fuckwit

    November 2, 2012 at 2:22 pm

    Heh, the work that the media used to be able to do, is now done by Anonymous, comedians, and political cartoonist/documentarians. Sad, but at least SOMEONE is doing it.

    Off-topic, perhaps, but I was just thinking about the weird Rethug projection about race. They keep imagining black people as lazy, entitled people who live easily off the back-breaking toil of an oppressed class.

    Think about that.

    WHITE people, who think BLACK people are oppressing them, by making those oppressed white people work so hard, while the black people sit on the porch sipping mint juleps.

    Think about that again.

    When did a race of people sit on the porch in entitled, opulent luxury, fanning themselves and drinking mint juleps while another race of people busted their ass out in the hot sun, working until they dropped dead, under duress?

    Hmm?

    That, my friends, is evidence of some EPIC, massive, stunning projection right there.

    Or deep subconscious guilt, horribly repressed.

    You have, in the South, descendents of former slave owners, fantasising that they are now the slaves.

    You have a group of white people who founded their entire economic system on exploitation and oppression, who can’t seem to see any other model for an economy than exploitation and oppression, and, since they’re not the ones doing the oppression and exploitation anymore, they just assume it must be the people they were formerly exploiting and oppressing, now exploiting and oppressing them.

    The modern Rethug party isn’t a political ideology, it’s a mental illness.

  92. 92.

    Drew

    November 2, 2012 at 2:49 pm

    Hopefully we can squeeze out a victory in Florida and all the other battleground states so Ohio becomes irrelevant

  93. 93.

    Drew

    November 2, 2012 at 2:53 pm

    I’m against the death penalty, except for RICO crimes and election fraud.

  94. 94.

    LanceThruster

    November 2, 2012 at 3:12 pm

    @fuckwit:

    The modern Rethug party isn’t a political ideology, it’s a mental illness.

    Well said.

  95. 95.

    JWL

    November 2, 2012 at 3:27 pm

    If the GOP subverts yet another presidential election, the question will then be: Which side are the armed forces on?

  96. 96.

    karen

    November 2, 2012 at 3:41 pm

    @Scott S.: I’m all for death or at least castration but I’m sure I’ll be overruled.

  97. 97.

    Speculum Spatula

    November 2, 2012 at 3:55 pm

    @JWL:

    If the GOP subverts yet another presidential election, the question will then be: Which side are the armed forces on?

    Please don’t delude yourself that the elected Dems would condone such a thing. As was the case in 2000 and 2004, they are all for a calm, reasoned, and very submissive reaction to stolen elections.

  98. 98.

    anonymous

    November 2, 2012 at 4:27 pm

    @Citizen Alan:
    India? Running the planet?

    India is, to put a fine point on it, a shithole.

    Look at India’s female literacy rate.

    And I recently heard that a very large fraction of Indians defecated in the field during the day. Presumably that means they’re poor agricultural workers w/o sanitation.

    I’ve got nothing against India, and the problems it faces would be difficult for any nation to solve. But they’re big problems, nonetheless.

  99. 99.

    Cmm

    November 2, 2012 at 4:30 pm

    @patrick II:

    But it isn’t that scary, when you have an administration that wants to look forward not backwards, plus the other side has been raising hell about Fast and Furious and now Benghazi long enough that it will be easy to fold any investigation of voter fraud into a distraction tactic that is part of the coverup of those two MUCH more egregious crimes.

    I agree that there needs to be a lot more attention paid to the offices of Secretary of State by Dems. It doesn’t matter how many hearts and minds you win by campaigning if it can all be negated by screwing with the voting process.

    If Ohio does get hung up, I propose a “count all the votes” riot that will put the 2000 brooks brothers riot to shame.

  100. 100.

    Cmm

    November 2, 2012 at 4:38 pm

    @bcinaz:

    I don’t think the problem in Ohio is electing incompetent Secretaries of State. They appear to be quite enthusiastic and dedicated to their goals. Those goals, however, don’t coincide with what they are supposed to be doing by law. They are way too competent in accomplishing their actual agenda of finding as many ways as possible to prevent the “wrong sort” from voting and/or having their votes counted.

  101. 101.

    Sondra

    November 4, 2012 at 3:54 pm

    @Fezzik:
    It’s possible we could add Florida. Susan Boucher, our Supervisor of Elections announced that she would open her office today for early voting.

    Gov. Scott and the Rs in our State Legislature had tried to prevent early voting on Sunday this year, but apparently a Judge decided to overturn that new rule at the eleventh hour.

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