Reply #11: On the same day there was another op/ed in that issue ... [View All]

Recount in Ohio
Jules Witcover
Originally published Nov 26, 2004

Jules Witcover

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WASHINGTON - The presidential election is over and Sen. John Kerry has conceded defeat, but the wheels are nevertheless in motion in Ohio for a recount in the state that put President Bush over the top.
The recount is being pressed even though the Kerry campaign has no hope or expectation of reversing the result. As of election night, the president carried Ohio by more than enough to avoid a mandatory retabulating of the votes.

The tally gave Mr. Bush 51.1 percent to Mr. Kerry's 48.5 percent, far in excess of the one-quarter of 1 percent winning margin that under state law would require a recount. But the law also stipulates that any bona fide candidate may trigger one by requesting it and putting up the necessary funds, at $10 a precinct, to pay for it in each of the state's 11,360 precincts in 88 counties.

Enter David Cobb, the also-ran nominee of the Green Party, and Michael Badnarik, the certified standard-bearer of the Libertarian Party. Together, their supporters have raised more than the $113,600 required. They have petitioned Ohio Secretary of State Kenneth Blackwell, who also happened to be a co-chairman of the Bush campaign in the state, to order the recount.

Before it can take place, however, the actual statewide vote count, including all accepted provisional ballots, must be tallied. According to James Lee, of Mr. Blackwell's office, his boss under Ohio law has until Dec. 3 to certify the outcome, at which time he can then start the recount. Elected members of the Electoral College are to meet Dec. 13 in their various states, but the new Congress will not convene to receive and verify the results until Jan. 6.

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http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/opinion/oped/bal-op.witcover26nov26,0,1404210.column?coll=bal-oped-headlines