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Theresa aka Moonshadow sent me this clip regarding the primary elections held in Ohio last week.
Crossover voting was heavy — and maybe illegal – OPENERS – Ohio Politics Blog by The Plain Dealer Annotated

Here are some excerpts:

Anyone who crossed lines was supposed to sign a pledge card vowing allegiance to their new party. In Cuyahoga County, dozens and dozens of Republicans scribbled addendums onto their pledges as new Democrats.

A Plain Dealer review of thousands of records showed few of those who switched were challenged by poll workers.

Sandy McNair, a Democratic member of the Cuyahoga County Board of Elections, said Friday that the manipulation of the system was troublesome.

As I mentioned last week, I went to the poll, asked for a Democrat Ballot and that’s pretty much it. I wasn’t challenged and wasn’t offered a pledge card.

Lying on the pledge is a felony, punishable by six to 12 months in jail and a $2,500 fine.

Election watchers said they don’t know any cases that have been prosecuted in Ohio.

Yea, I think they have to give you a pledge card before you can be prosecuted for lying on it.

And it’s unlikely the Republican crossovers influenced the outcome since Clinton handily defeated Obama, said Edward Foley, an election-law professor at Ohio State University. But he said Ohioans need to learn the rules governing their voting – and poll workers need to enforce them.

I’m not sure where Professor Foley gets his information, but the idea was to keep Clinton in the race.www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,334669,00.html

So I guess it worked!

In a nutshell, here how it’s supposed to work: Ohio voters are allowed to switch party affiliations on the day of a primary election but only if they sign a pledge vowing to support their new party – and mean it.

Wondering how you enforce intent?

If a majority of poll workers at a precinct doubt a voter’s sincerity, they can challenge the voter even if the voter signed the pledge.
And do what? Wrestle him to the ground and tear up his ballot?

Interestingly, no one raised as much fuss when The Daily Kos suggested election mischief back in January. www.dailykos.com/story/2008/1/10/2713/87225/55/434206

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