New Pacifica Radio Program on Voting Rights Situation in Ohio

Columbus Community Radio, part of Pacifica, has come out with an episode of "Sprouts" produced by voting rights activist Evan Davis, which looks at the state of voting rights in Ohio in light of new evidence of election fraud and new legislation affecting voters, featuring an interview with Congresswoman Cynthia McKinney.

To listen or to download go to:

http://www.ccrfonline.org/ and click on "Audio Archives".

Video the Vote -- Ohio 2006 -- You Can Help

VIDEO THE VOTE is recruiting bideographers and volunteers to document problems at the polls on November 7th.

They provide training on what to look for and who to call and will get video uploaded to the internet.

Details and contact information below.

---

Thanks for your interest in VIDEO THE VOTE. I'm Melissa Giraud, a member of the League of Young Voters
and coordinator of the VIDEO THE VOTE effort in Columbus.

Video the Vote is recruiting videographers and volunteers with video cameras to document any problems people have voting at the polls on November 7th. With the help of other organizations, we'll train these video volunteers so they know what to look for at the polls and know to call election protection when needed. We'll also set up tape drop off points and ask techie volunteers to upload the tapes we get immediately to the Web on YouTube.com. We'll also encourage individuals with camera to post under Video the Vote on line on their own. Our intention is to supplement election protection efforts by making video taken at the polls available on the Web in short order. This will allow election protection folks and
everyone with an Internet connection to see what's happening in near real-time and rectify problems at polls before they close.

Video the Vote is the inspiration of the Guerilla News Network's Ian Inaba, director of the election documentary "American Blackout." Ian got some of his best footage from individuals, many amateurs, who brought video cameras to the polls in November 2004 in Columbus. He knew that figuring out how to get this "guerilla" footage to the public much sooner would help protect voters. Fortunately, making video available on the web has become much easier than it was in 2004.

We're currently developing protocols to coordinate Video the Vote, which I'll share with you soon. Within the week, Video the Vote will have a completed website where volunteers can sign up, download protocols and guidelines and learn more about the project. That site address is: videothevote.org.

Please send any video volunteers or other potential collaborators on Video the Vote my way. Again, we mean to supplement efforts to protect the vote that are already underway.

Oh, and if you haven't seen the upsetting, important, inspiring movie "American Blackout," you'll have another opportunity. SEIU is sponsoring a showing of the film and Ian Inaba will attend and answer questions. Here's that event information:

American Blackout
Thursday, October 26, 2006
7 pm (Reception at 6:30)
Drexel Gateway near OSU Campus
1550 North High Street

Thanks, and I look forward to working with you all.

Best,

Melissa Giraud
melissa@columbusvotes.org, melissagiraud@yahoo.com
cell 773-895-2378

Voting Rights Revival Conference -- Columbus, Ohio -- October 13-15th

Conference is this weekend. CASE will be hosting a workshop on the Adopt A BOE program.

http://freepress.org/vrrc/index.php for details.

Voting Rights Revival Conference
Columbus State Community College
Columbus, Ohio

October 13, 14 and 15, 2006

Long lines....provisional ballots...intimidation at the polls...
Don't let what happened on Election Day in 2004 happen again in Ohio!
Get involved!
Come to the Voting Rights Revival conference
Become an Election Protection volunteer!

The VRRC focuses on concrete solutions that will empower Ohio voters this November 7, 2006. Free and open to the public, the VRRC will inspire and inform with renowned speakers and hands-on workshops. Workshops will cover the changes in the new laws, basic voting procedures, how to make sure your vote is counted, how to work with Boards of Elections, Election Protection videography, the voting rights of people with disabilities, and post-election audits, to name a few.

Our Mission Statement:

To focus on the election process in Ohio, with the goal of sharing information that enfranchises all voters in Ohio; to encourage civic participation at the local and state level, including the ongoing facilitation of emerging local and student leaders and organizers: the commencement of a public sphere.

Highlights:

Speakers:

Steve Freeman, Penn University professor, author of "Was the 2004 Presidential Election Stolen? Exit Polls, Election Fraud, and the Official Count"
Bob Fitrakis, author, journalist, political science professor, attorney for Moss v. Bush, co-editor "Did George W. Bush Steal America's 2004 Election? Essential Documents"
Harvey Wasserman, author, journalist, Senior Free Press Editor, co-editor "How the GOP Stole America's 2004 Election & Is Rigging 2008"
Cliff Arnebeck, attorney for post-2004 election challenge
Ruth Colker, law professor, OSU Moritz College of Law
Greg Moore, civil rights leader, director, Voting Rights Institute of the Democratic National Committee
Matt Damschroder (invited), Director, Franklin County Board of Elections
Ronnie Dugger, founder, Texas Observer, founder Alliance for Democracy
Doris D. Haddock (invited), clean elections activist
Workshops:

CASE Ohio – Adopt A Board of Election
Voting 101 (Guaranteeing your voter registration, new ID rules, how to use voting machines)
Disabilities and Voting
Election Day Election Protection Activities: parallel elections, legal, video, observation
Post-election Auditing
More

Amended Complaint Filed in King Lincoln Bronzeville Neighborhood Association v. Blackwell

An amended complaint (pdf file) has been filed in King Lincoln Bronzeville Neighborhood Association v. Blackwell.

Record of Important Legal Events

This post is intended as a resource for those seeking information on important legal events relating to the Ohio election of 2004, specifically relating to issues of (a) fraud, (b) disenfranchisment, (c) voter suppression,
(d) recount obstruction, and (e) vote machine tampering. It is a selective compilation of links which have been posted on this site which relate to such events.

The links are generally listed in reverse chronological order of posting.

They are numbered in reverse numerical order; the first 2 digits of each link refer to the year of posting. (I.e. “0510" is the 10th post in 2005).

The "permanent" link to this post is at the bottom and can be ascertained by right-clicking the phrase "Permanent Link to this Post". (But please note that it is not entirely "permanent": each time the post is updated in a new month, the 2-digit number for the month changes, and when it is updated in a new year, the 4-digit number for the year changes as well). For a genuinely permanent link, use the link for the identical list on my web site, http://ohioelection2004.com/legalevents.htm

There is, of necessity, some overlap with my separate post "Evidence of Fraud and Disenfranchisement in Ohio, 2004 : A Partial List", since legal documents (a) are often compilations of evidence, and (b) on occasion are in themselves important historical facts.



0602-Amended complaint in King Lincoln Bronzeville Neighborhood Association v. Blackwell
0601-Complaint in King Lincoln Bronzeville Community Association, et al, v. J. Kenneth Blackwell, et al.

0549-Blackwell's motion to dismiss in League of Women Voters and Plaintiffs' opposition papers.
0548-Two Cuyahoga County Election Workers Indicted For Recount Obstruction
0547-June 13th trial set for League of Women Voters v. Blackwell
0546-Kerry and Edwards to Stay in Recount Case; Trial Set for August 2006
0545-Cobb and Badnarik Claims in Recount Suit
0544-Cuyahoga Recount Being Investigated by Special Prosecutor, Subponeas Issued -- Cleveland Plain Dealer
0543-Federal Lawsuit Commenced to Reform Ohio Elections
0542-Probe of $10,000 payment to Franklin County GOP on instructions by GOP election official - Cleveland Plain Dealer July 16, 2005
0541-TRO extended to August 15th, and parties proceed to mediation, in Hocking County Sherole Eaton litigation
0540-Open Records Request Filed in Lucas County on July 7th
0539-Criminal Complaint Filed in Hocking County Against BOE Director Lisa Schwartze for Shredding Up To 10,000 Registration Documents
0538-Temporary Restraining Order Issued by Court in Alliance for Democracy v. Hocking County Board of Elections
0537-Alliance for Democracy Brings Motion to Stop Hocking County from Terminating Sherole Eaton Without Compliance with Public Meetings Law
0536-Conyers Attacks Gonzalez "Investigation" Report of Franklin County Voter Machine Misallocation
0535-Paul Harmon Files Ohio Supreme Court Brief Describing Licking County Irregularities
0534-Judge Moyer Denies Sanctions Motion in Election Contest Litigation
0533-Videotapes of EAC February 23rd Hearing
0532-Akron Beacon Journal reports: "Prosecutor to Probe Cuyahoga County Recount"
0531-Franklin County Launches Investigation Into 2004 Election
0530-Blackwell Requests Dismissal or Change of Venue of Recount Case, and Opposes Hearing Unless He Can Take Depositions of Kerry and Edwards
0529-Paul Harmon to Appeal Licking County Case to Ohio Supreme Court
0528-National Voting Rights Institute Update on Ohio Recount Litigation
0527-Kerry & Edwards File Court Papers Agreeing With Cobb & Badnarik that Venue Should Not be Transferred & Summarizing Reports of Recount Coordinators
0526-Cobb & Badnarik File Papers Requesting Court Not to Transfer Venue

0525-Report on EAC February 23rd Hearing by electionline.org
0524-EAC Announces it will Only Hold One More Hearing
0523-Election Fraud by Licking County Officials Exposed in Criminal Complaint Filed by Paul D. Harmon
0522-Report on EAC February 23rd Public Hearing
0521-"Public" hearing not open to the "Public"
0520-Blackwell Fails to Show Up at House Administration Committee; Chair Says "You Can Run, But You Can't Hide"
0519-Congressman Conyers, Senator Feingold, and 17 Other Congresspersons file Amicus Brief Opposing Ohio Elections Contest Sanctions Motion
0518-State Court Judges Prohibit Blackwell from Enforcing Optical Scan Deadline
0517-Ohio Attorney General Tells Franklin County Prosector that Blackwell Exceeded His Authority
0516-Cobb and Badnarik File Memorandum of Law in Recount Case.
0515-Conyers and 22 other Members of Congress Request Congressional Research Service Investigation into Voting Irregularities. 2/2/05
0514-Election Contest Lawyers Oppose Sanctions Motion
0513-FBI Refuses to Follow Up on Hocking County Triad Incident
0512-Cong. Conyers Asks FBI to Expand Investigation into Clermont, Union, Fulton, Hocking, Monroe, Henry, and Harrison Counties
0511-Congressman Conyers Writes to Ohio Attorney General About Sanctions Motion Against Election Contest Attorneys
0510-Sanctions Motion Brought By Ohio Attorney General Against Election Contest Litigation Lawyers
0509-Nine Members of House Judiciary Committee Request Formal Committee Hearings & Investigation
0508-Alliance for Democracy Seeks to Intervene Before Democratic Party Dismisses Its Own Case in Knox & Franklin Counties
0507-Four Members of Congress Call for Special Prosecutor to Investigate Blackwell
0506-Waxman and Conyers Call on GAO to Investigate
0505-Election Contest Suit Withdrawn
0504-January 6, 2005, House & Senate Debate, & Vote Against, Objection
to Ohio Electors
0503-House Democrats Request Joint Congressional Investigation of Ohio Election
0502-House Committee Appendices: Eyewitness Accounts, Linda Byrket Documentary, and Blackwell letter
0501-House Judiciary Democrats Submit Preliminary Report in Support of Objection to Ohio Electors, Entitled "Preserving Democracy : What Went Wrong in Ohio"

Needless to say there are other web sites which contain information on these subjects. Some are listed in the left hand column under "Important Links". Three which I find especially helpful are Ohio Vigilance http://ohiovigilance.org, MiaMedia Votergate Resource Center http://miamedia.com/votergate, and Election 2004 http://shadowbox.i8.com/stolen.htm.

If you have documents, court dates, or other detailed material relating to legal events in connection with the Ohio, 2004, election, which you would like to share with this blog, please send to ohioelectionfraud@mindspring.com with "oef" as the subject.

"American Blackout", New Film About Disenfranchisement of African-Americans in 2000 and 2004

Excellent new documentary about systematic disenfranchisement of African-Americans in 2000 Florida presidential election, 2002 and 2004 DeKalb County, Georgia, congressional election, and 2004 Ohio presidential election:

American Blackout

Film by director Ian Inaba, won Special Jury Prize at the Sundance Film Festival and Best Documentary at the Urbanworld/Vibe Film Festival.

To locate scheduled screenings of "American Blackout"

To host a screening

"Our Rigged Elections: The Elephant is in the Polling Booth" by Mark Crispin Miller, published in Washington Spectator

Important new article by Mark Crispin Miller published in Washington Spectator on October 1, 2006:

OUR RIGGED ELECTIONS
The Elephant in the Polling Booth
By Mark Crispin Miller | October 1, 2006

To say that this election could go either way is not to say that the Republicans have any chance of winning it. As a civic entity responsive to the voters' will, the party's over, there being no American majority that backs it, or that ever would. Bush has left the GOP in much the same condition as Iraq, Afghanistan, the global climate, New Orleans, the Bill of Rights, our military, our economy and our national reputation. Thus the regime is reviled as hotly by conservatives as by liberals, nor do any moderates support it.

So slight is Bush's popularity that his own party's candidates for Congress are afraid to speak his name or to be seen with him (although their numbers, in the aggregate, are even lower than his). It seems the only citizens who still have any faith in him are those who think God wants us to burn witches and drive SUVs. For all their zeal, such theocratic types are not in the majority, not even close, and thus there's no chance that the GOP can get the necessary votes.

And so the Democrats are feeling good, and calling for a giant drive to get the vote out on Election Day. Such an effort is essential—and not just to the Democrats but to the very survival of this foundering Republic. However, such a drive will do the Democrats, and all the rest of us, more harm than good if it fails to note a certain fact about our current situation: i.e., that the Democrats are going to lose the contest in November, even though the people will (again) be voting for them. The Bush Republicans are likely to remain in power despite the fact that only a minority will vote to have them there. That, at any rate, is what will happen if we don't start working to pre-empt it now.

Even though this election could go either way, neither way will benefit the Democrats. Either the Republicans will steal their "re-election" on Election Day, just as they did two years ago, or they will slime their way to "victory" through force and fraud and strident propaganda, as they did after Election Day 2000. Whichever strategy they use, the only way to stop it is to face it, and then shout so long and loud about it that the people finally perceive, at last, that their suspicions are entirely just—and, this time, just say no.

AN INCONVENIENT TRUTH—That Bush/Cheney stole their "re-election" is not a "theory" but a fact that has by now been proved beyond the shadow of a doubt. The case was made, first, by the House Judiciary Committee—or rather by its Democratic members, who conducted a meticulous inquiry into the debacle in Ohio. (The Republicans boycotted the investigation, and obstructed it.) Its findings were released on January 5, 2005, in the so-called Conyers Report, after Rep. John Conyers (D-MI), the committee's ranking Democrat. The Republicans attacked it, and the press and leading Democrats ignored it; yet that report was sound, its major findings wholly accurate.

In July of that year the Democratic National Committee came out with its own study of Ohio, which offers still more evidence of fraud—before concluding, weirdly, that there was no fraud but rather much "incompetence" (all of which somehow helped only the GOP). Despite its stated contradiction of the House report, the DNC analysts disprove not one of Conyers's findings.

Complete article

Bev Harris in Columbus OH on October 1st

An afternoon with Bev Harris of Blackbox voting, Sunday Oct 1, 1:30pm till 6 pm, Columbus, Ohio

German Meeting Haus, just South of I-70 ramp on 3rd South and WILLOW. (TURN LEFT ON WILLOW) Park behind the Golden Hobby Shop, (just South) or St. Mary's school (also South), but NOT in the bank parking lot. Or street parking or park at Freepress offices one third mile north.

Richard Hayes Philips, the investigator whose research into Ohio 04 ballots is the basis of lawsuits against a fraudulent election, will also share his latest research in Ohio.

Other voting rights activists will tell what they have been doing. Don't be frustrated, get organized! Let's get ready for Nov.7.

$5 donation requested to defray costs. Refreshments for free. Seating may be limited, get there early.

Table for your group, $10, no candidates, prefer non-partisan. Email for availabilily.

Join us afterwards for supper in a restaurant.

Please pass this email on! She doesn't get here from Seattle often!! Last time was Jan 05.

Let me know if you can help. Risenregan@earthlink.net

-Marj Creech

CASE OHIO News Update

The focus of this CASE News email is the November General Election in Ohio. It includes some information and actions you can take to help more people vote. Updates will be sent as needed and will include projects coordinated by other election advocacy groups. Send comments, suggestions to ron@caseohio.org.



Feel free to forward as appropriate and invite others to join http://groups.yahoo.com/group/CASE_OH_News/ to get these updates. This group is not a discussion group so you will not get a lot of email.



Help Wanted (see below for details)

League of Women Voters Flyer on Voter ID/Registration (click here for link)

Many people do NOT yet know that ID will be required to vote! Available in English or Spanish.
You can tell your friends, help distribute, identify organizations that might want them, ask your Senator or Congressperson to publish in constituent newsletter.


Student Voter Guide

You can help identify student groups, college newspapers to send it to.


Election Day:

Statewide election hotline 866-OURVOTE (866-687-8683) goes live October 16. Spread the word.
You can work for your county as a poll worker. See below about learning what to look for and gathering incident reports.
You can gather posted precinct results, send in for comparison with official results
You can observe the election as a monitor/witness
You can help conduct a parallel election


Misc

You can challenge Ohio media to watch for election fraud


CASE News

CASE presented the Adopt A BOE program at the “Making Your Voter Count, A Voter’s Rights Forum” in Akron on Sept 10 (contact Eileen Goldman, eyeleen45@aol.com)
Phil Fry met with BOE officials in Darke & Shelby counties.
Pete Johnson & Stuart Wright met with Franklin County BOE Director Matt Damschroder
Ron met with Tom Hayes to discuss CASE recommendations for Cuyahoga County election improvements
Three members of CASE have been invited to participate in the Election Protection meetings, which include Common Cause, People for the American Way, the League of Woman Voters, and other organizations.
CASE News group (http://groups.yahoo.com/group/CASE_OH_News) created for activists who just want the highlights


Announcements

Sept 29-30: "We Count - A Conference about Fair Elections and Democracy" in Cleveland featuring Mark Crispin Miller, Bob Fitrakis, Bev Harris, Ron Baiman, Greg Coleridge and many more. Contact Victoria.Lovegren@case.edu or go to www.wecount2006.org for more information or to register.
Oct 13-15: Voting Rights Revival” in Columbus featuring Steve Freeman, Bob Fitrakis, Doris Haddock, Cliff Arnebeck, and more (more info: http://freepress.org/vrrc/)


Help Wanted Details



Voter Registration/ID (for details à Ron - ron@caseohio.org)

LWVOH, CC, COHHIO, and Ohio Votes have published a flyer on how to check voter registration and what ID to bring (click here for flyer)
You can

Tell your friends. Send email to political (or non-political) groups.
Call a local library and ask them to put some flyers at the checkout desk.
Contact organizations that might distribute them (target audience includes students, low income, and senior voters in urban areas).
Contact your congressperson and ask them to publish the flyer information their newsletter. Call and offer to email them the flyer. Contact Ron if they want help condensing the material.


Student Voter Guide (for details à Phil - phil@caseohio.org)

CASE student voters guide at www.caseohio.org (under New Voter Guides)
You can

Help identify colleges/universities and phone/email for student groups/newspapers across Ohio
Call (preferably) or email this groups and ask them to publish
Send contacts to Phil so we know which schools have been contacted


Project Post (for details à Vicki - victoria.lovegren@case.edu, www.ohiovigilance.org/ProjectPost/Index.html)

Ohio Vigilance & CASE Ohio are coordinating this effort to gather precinct level vote totals at as many precincts as possible. Then we compare our date with official results.
We have a list of counties that have said they will post results.
You can

Signup at Ohio Vigilance link above to visit precincts after closing, copy results and send them in
Gather the data in a spreadsheet/database


Participate as a poll worker on election day (for details à TBD, could be you)

Ohio counties will be particularly challenged by Voter ID requirements and need poll workers who care about fair elections.
There may be no better way to work for fair elections.
CASE is working with Pollworkers for Democracy to distribute information on what to look for and coordinate gathering of incident reports.
You can

Signup with your county to work on election day
Contact so we can share information on what to look for and how to report incidents


Observe as monitor/witness

We expect details from other advocacy groups on an observer program which will be distributed.


Conduct a Parallel Election (for details à You?)

Ask voters leaving a polling place to fill out a parallel ballot
Count the results and compare to official results


Adopt A BOE (for details à Pete – pete@caseohio.org, Ron - ron@caseohio.org)

County Summary: have active volunteers: 15, tentative volunteers: 9.
Contact BOE (in person or via email)
Requires some chutzpah & patience, but not a lot of time
Understand their election process
Work constructively towards the common goal of fair elections
Provide expertise based on election process knowledge and experience at other BOE’s
Advocate for improvements


Challenge Ohio media that believe there was no fraud in 2004 to cover 2006 effectively (for details à You?)

You can

Write a plan on how we think a newspaper should cover the pre election, election, and post election phases of the election.
For example: clear & documented rules on Voter ID/Registration, fair allocation of voting machines, posting precinct results, post election check of DRE totals.
Send letters to each newspaper, ask them for their plans, and issue a press release.


Research (for details à John - john@caseohio.org)

Come up with citations from the Revised Code, media, etc. (e.g.,what types of ID are acceptable since HB 3).
CASE could use a team of folks doing this. Folks connected to law, media, political science may be especially good.


Help maintain CASE Website (for details à Phil - phil@caseohio.org)

Calendar of Events - needs regular inputs
Best Practices - needs to be reviewed and updated
Lawsuits - needs to be updated (Ohio only)
Media and Government Contacts - needs regular updating
News - we are no longer maintaining news - Should we?
Many, many more. Choose the area you are interested. Just get me the details and I can post it.


Post Election Citizen Audit (for details à You?)

Start planning for after November 7th. An organized post election audit and report should be done by BOE’s, but if they won’t maybe we should.
Validate vote totals (with hand count ballots or VVPAT for random precincts)
Validate provisional ballot count (by checking random sample of acceptions/rejections)


John, Pete, Phil, Ron, Stuart

www.caseohio.org

Bob Fitrakis On the Radio

Bob Fitrakis -- a person who needs no introduction to readers of this blog -- is running for Governor of the State of Ohio, on the Green Party Ticket. Needless to say, his election would be a tremendous victory for voting rights, and for democracy. To hear a recent radio interview with Bob, go here.