February 25, 2005

Election Fraud by Licking County Officials Exposed in Criminal Complaint Filed by Paul D. Harmon

We have learned that Paul D. Harmon, an independent candidate for Domestic Relations Court Judge in Licking County, Ohio, filed a criminal complaint against Licking County election officials on February 18th.

The complaint, based on events in a Licking County race in which there were more "no votes" than votes cast for any candidate, accuses the officials of fraud involving "votomatic" punch card votes, of perjury, of destroying evidence, tampering with records, thwarting the administration of the recount laws, destruction of the secrecy of, and tampering with, absentee ballots, and other similar misconduct.

Mr. Harmon, a Newark, Ohio, attorney, and native of Granville, Ohio, lost by 200 votes. Of the 78,000 votes cast, the Republican candidate received 14,300, and Mr. Harmon 14,100. 18,000 votes were never counted.

During and after the ensuing mandatory recount, Licking County officials illegally refused to permit recount witnesses to view the uncounted ballots, or to inspect the machines, and on more than one occasion misrepresented the number of voting machines that had been used.

They have also admitted that blank ballots were stored in unsecured facilites.

It has also been learned that, although in one or more Democratic precincts voters were subjected to waits of 4 hours or more in order to vote, 50 unused voting machines had been kept 'in reserve' by the Republican director and deputy director of the Licking County Board of elections.

It is anticipated that an independent prosecutor will be appointed to investigate the complaint.

As we obtain more details of the Licking County incidents, documents, and court proceedings, this post will be updated and expanded.

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