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Retired firefighter who broke color barrier among those being honored
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Party says GOP lawsuit to block same-day voting will only cause confusion
By Joe Milicia
Associated Press
Published on Saturday, Sep 20, 2008
CLEVELAND: The political battle over a weeklong period that allows Ohioans to register to vote and immediately cast a ballot heated up Friday with Democrats in the state's most populous county accusing Republicans of attempting to suppress votes.
Democrats say an Ohio GOP lawsuit that asks the Ohio Supreme Court to block what amounts to same-day voting is right out of the playbook of former Secretary of State Ken Blackwell, Ohio's sometimes divisive Republican elections chief during the 2004 presidential election.
''Ken Blackwell is not in office right now, but his tactics remain alive and well in the Republican party,'' state Rep. Sandra Williams said at a small news conference outside the Cuyahoga County Board of Elections.
Democratic Secretary of State Jennifer Brunner has instructed local elections boards to have policies in place to allow first-time voters to both register
and vote on the same day from the start of absentee voting Sept. 30 to the voter registration deadline Oct. 6.
The calendar glitch — approved by a Republican Legislature, signed into law by former GOP Gov. Bob Taft and used since the midterm elections in 2006 — will allow tens of thousands of unregistered voters a chance to register and cast a ballot on the same day.
Overlaps have been around for more than 20 years, and some absentee voters have cast ballots during such windows in previous elections. But this is the first presidential general election in which Ohioans can vote absentee without having to provide a reason, such as living out-of-state.
Ohio Republican Party Chairman Bob Bennett has said that Brunner improperly interpreted state law and accused Democrats of trying to hijack the election.
Republicans say Ohio law requires voters to be registered for 30 days before they can be given a ballot, and that allowing same-day registration and voting is illegal. They say same-day voting creates opportunity for voting fraud.
Ohio Republican Party Deputy Chairman Kevin DeWine said Friday that all the GOP wants is for Brunner to follow the law.
The GOP's lawsuit against Brunner is on the Ohio Supreme Court's expedited schedule with a decision expected before Sept. 30.
Jeremy Bird, the head of the Ohio campaign for Democratic presidential nominee Barack Obama, sent an e-mail to supporters Thursday comparing the Republicans' lawsuit to Blackwell's tactics.
''Once again, Republican political operatives are attempting to disenfranchise Ohio voters,'' Bird wrote.
Blackwell was accused of partisanship for presiding over Ohio's elections while serving as honorary co-chairman of President Bush's re-election campaign in Ohio. A phone message left for Blackwell was not immediately returned.
Cleveland City Councilwoman Stephanie Howse called on Republicans to drop their lawsuit, saying it will only cause voter confusion.
Activists are working in her east-side ward, which includes the historic Hough neighborhood, to get voters to the board of elections during the weeklong window, Howse said.
Democratic state Rep. Mike Foley believes his party is better poised than Republicans to get voters out that week.
''We've got a good ground campaign,'' Foley said. ''We think we'll be able to take advantage of the laws that Republicans wrote.''
The Cuyahoga County Board of Elections is planning to have nearly 50 workers available to register voters along with 200 voting stations at its headquarters that week, board director Jane Platten said.
CLEVELAND: The political battle over a weeklong period that allows Ohioans to register to vote and immediately cast a ballot heated up Friday with Democrats in the state's most populous county accusing Republicans of attempting to suppress votes.
Get the full article here.
Comments
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Anti-Politically Correct & Anti-GOP, OH
Posted 06:46 AM, 09/20/2008
Blackwell was a snake anyhow.
Posted 08:33 AM, 09/20/2008
Typical Democratic tactics. They make up laws as they go to suit themselves without following the existing law. Then, instead of legislating new law they'll get some liberal judge to change it on the fly. Same old, same old.
Posted 08:58 AM, 09/20/2008
I agree, Blackwell is a snake in the grass. People need to look at the entire picture. Our country is falling deeper and deeper into a hole and there is only one way out now, McCain is not the answer. It's going to take alot of time to help our economy, help our hurricane victims, bring our soilders home safely etc., just being able to survive, and the Republicans do not have our needs in mind. Please think, think, think, before you cast your vote because the next President is in your hands.
Uniontown, OH
Posted 08:59 AM, 09/20/2008
I am a Democrat, but I don't agree at all with same-day voting. Voting isn't just about showing up and casting a ballot. Responsible voting involves careful thought about the candidates and issues. Same-day voting seems like it would bring in voters who have not given any thought to their choices and will base their decisions on those stupid TV ads.
Tepplin, DC
Posted 10:39 AM, 09/20/2008
Republicans thrive on stupidity, ignorance and suppression of the minority vote (i.e. Blacks, Latinos, the poor, etc.) It's no way to run a country (except into the ground), but that's exactly what they've done for the past eight years.
Posted 12:02 PM, 09/20/2008
Good McCain video, it says it all! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wJThPjvscFs
Posted 12:34 PM, 09/20/2008
So why register at all? Lets just let anyone go vote without and rules. Since most responsible people register way ahead of time and follow the law It seems only logical to just throw the rules aside and let everyone vote even if they vote under fake names several time. I wonder if Brunner is gonna run this by Wayne Jones and get his take on the law? Brunner never seems to get things right anyway.
Posted 12:41 PM, 09/20/2008
No one should be able to register and vote on the same day to assure that there is no voter fraud. Anyone objecting to this is simply ignoring the serious potential for abuse. Obama's campaign has already violated election laws in other states during the primaries.
Akron, OH
Posted 01:05 PM, 09/20/2008
I agree with Karen. She says it ALL. Voting is a continuing RESPONSIBILITY. If you had ever seen the fake ID's the illegal aliens have and use to get jobs, etc., you would know why it is so important to verify voter registration and LEGAL ID's.
Posted 01:16 PM, 09/20/2008
Voter supression is a proud Republican tradition. Let's put an end to their madness. Vote for Barack Obama!
Posted 04:54 PM, 09/20/2008
How can someone even use the word "disenfranchise" when the deadline to sign up to vote is STILL two weeks away? It's a shame that people have no historical context to understand how irresponsible it is to utter that word in this scenario.
AKRON, OH
Posted 07:36 PM, 09/20/2008
IN ELECTIONS OF PAST - THE DEAD HAVE TURNED UP AND VOTED. THIS WAS UNCOVERED AND DEALT WITH. NOW REGISTER AND CAST A BALLOT ON THE SAME DAY ? YOU'RE KIDDING - RIGHT ? THERE ARE PROTOCOLS. VERIFICATION OF THOSE WHO REGESTERED. BUT THERE ARE THOSE UNHAPPY THIS IS NOT GOING TO FLY. THE REPUBLICANS ARE..."attempting to suppress votes". REALLY...SOUNDS LIKE SOMEONE'S SCAM JUST GOT CALLED. REGISTER TO VOTE - PERIOD. THEN VOTE AT ELECTION TIME. QUIT LOOKING FOR BACK DOORS, FOR ALTERNATE APPROACHES, PLAY THE GAME BY THE RULES. THESE ANTICS JUST TEND TO CLOG THE SYSTEM. MAYBE THAT IS WHAT'S UP.
Posted 04:04 PM, 09/21/2008
I don't agree with same day voting but I think the Republican Party is turning into more of a threat to American liberty than Bin Laden ever hoped to.
