December 22, 2004

Report from Recount Observer, Lucas County, Ohio

Emailed report from Lucas County, Ohio, Recount Observer:


i was a witness for the testing of the optiscan machines on
tuesday the 14th.

what is puzzling to me, after the tests of the scanners
were finished, the witnesses were not allowed to compare
the hand count results to the printed results from the
scanners. the ballots, the hand count sheets and the
printed tapes were all taken away, to another room, out of
sight of any witnesses and about 40 minutes later, the
director comes out and tells us everything checks out.

we go to lunch and when we come back, we find ourselves
waiting in the lobby. why? we were waiting for diebold to
reprogram the scanners. what? didn't they just verify that
everything was on the up and up? what is the need to
reprogram the scanners?

also, during the testing process, one precinct, sylvania 3,
continuously had the test ballots spit back out at least 3
times for approximatley 50% of them. during the election,
how many times did this occur and what poll worker is going
to stand there and continuosly feed the scanner to get it
to scan 1 ballot? therefore, how many of the ballots were
put in the spoiled pile that were really not spoiled?

another thing that was very interesting was the two people
that i was witnessing actually did not know how to run the
scanner. are they the type of people that were the normal
who were overseeing the election? am i crazy? what is wrong
with this picture?

after witnessing the fiasco of a test recount being
conducted at the lucas county government center, i am
definitely for scrapping this election and having a re-
vote. there isn't any other way we are going to get a
legitimate election.

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