OHIO: Shared machines at adjoining precincts caused voter problems [View All]

Shared machines at adjoining precincts caused voter problems

http://www.cantonrep.com/index.php?Category=13&ID=197051&r=5

Friday, December 10, 2004

CLEVELAND (AP) — Voters using the wrong machines in adjoining
precincts at the same location apparently caused voting aberrations in
17 of 1,458 Cuyahoga County precincts, The Plain Dealer reported
Friday.

The paper said its review of voting patterns countywide in Cleveland
and its suburbs showed aberrations including a Democratic precinct in
which Democrat John Kerry got 334 votes and Libertarian Michael
Badnarik got 164. In the adjacent precinct, also at Benedictine High
School, Kerry got 299 votes and Constitution Party candidate Michael
Peroutka got 215 votes.

(SNIP)

The paper said unusual spurts in the Peroutka and Badnarik totals
apparently resulted from people in one precinct casting ballots just
steps away at machines meant for another precinct. The rotating
positions of candidate names on ballots meant people going to the
adjoining precinct had their votes counted for another candidate, the
paper said.

There was no way to tell whether Kerry’s or President Bush’s totals
were affected, the paper said. Kerry beat Bush 448,486 votes to
221,606 votes countywide, but lost Ohio by about 119,000 votes out of
5.6 million cast.

(SNIP)

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