Ohio On My Mind: Quiz for January 2005
by Mina Hamilton
www.dissidentvoice.org
January 14, 2005



 

1) What was the average turnout of eligible voters in the 2004 Presidential election?

2) What was the alleged turnout in Miami County in Ohio in the 2004 Presidential election?

3) Why were at least 125 voting machines not used in Franklin County, Ohio on Election Day?

4) What is one of the most important reports to read in 2005?

5) Along with Senator Barbara Boxer, who were the 31 Congresspersons who, in the first session of the 109th Congress, voted to challenge the electoral votes from Ohio?

Answer to Question #1: According to the Committee for the Study of the American Electorate, the national figure was 59.6%, up from 54.3 % in 2000. (1)

Answer to Question #2: Miami County in Ohio allegedly had a 98.5 % voter turnout.

Answer to Question #3: This answer to this question is unknown, but 102,000 new voters were registered in Franklin County with a majority of them African-American. Furthermore, in this county people waited 5-6 hours to vote. (2)

Answer to Question #4: "Preserving Democracy: What Went Wrong in Ohio," the Status Report of the House Judiciary Committee Democratic Staff. This report takes all the rumors of electoral hanky-panky swirling out of Ohio and documents them meticulously.

Some issues discussed: The "highly suspect and improbable 98.55%" voter turnout in Miami County, as well as the "inexplicable" 19,000 voters that were added in Miami County after all precincts had reported. (3) The odd distribution of no votes for President, with 75% more of these occurring in Democratic precincts than in Republican precincts. The problem was particularly acute in Montgomery and Butler counties, where 11,000 voters waited in long lines. Then, they mysteriously declined to vote for President. (4) The misallocation of voting machines in the city of Columbus. The Washington Post estimated this reduced the number of voters by 15,000. (5) The unexplained behavior of Triad (a voting machine vendor) staff that obtained access to voting machines right before the Ohio "recount." One Triad employee admitted to altering tabulating software in 6 counties. (6) For more information go to www.house.gov/conyers to download a free copy.

Answer to Question #5: Congresspersons Henry Brown, Julia Carson, William Clay, Jr., James Clyburn, John Conyers, Jr., Arthur Davis, Lane Evans, Sam Farr, Bob Filner, Raul Grijalva, Alcee Hastings, Maurice Hinchey, Jesse Jackson, Jr., Jackson-Lee, Eddie Bernice Johnson, Stephanie Tubbs Jones, Carolyn Cheeks Kilpatrick, Dennis Kucinich, Barbara Lee, John Lewis, Edmund Markey, Cynthia McKinney, John Olver, Major Owens, Frank Pallone, Donald Payne, Allyson Schakowsky, Bennie Thompson, Maxine Waters, Diane Watson, and Lynn Woolsey.

If your congressperson's name doesn't appear on this list, visit clerk.house.gov/evs/2005 and check on the roll call vote on January 6. Note if your congressperson voted no or simply didn't bother to attend. In either case, a protest e-mail or fax might be in order. Ditto your Senators.

Democracy may be reeling, but it isn't dead yet.

Mina Hamilton is a writer based in New York City. She can be reached at minaham@aol.com. 

REFERENCES

(1) www.fairvote.org. 

(2) House Judiciary Committee Democratic Staff Report, "Preserving Democracy: What Went Wrong in Ohio," p.26.

(3) Ibid, p.58.

(4) Ibid, ps. 54, 70.

(5) Ibid, p. 29.

(6) Ibid, p. 81.

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