3rd Ohio Election Worker Indicted in Probe of Vote Recount

Plain Dealer Reporter

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The Board of Elections released a statement stating that, "These allegations are based on interpretation of procedures, not on any suggestion of fraud. . . . We are confident that no employee of the Board of Elections would knowingly or negligently engage in any unlawful conduct regarding the 2004 Presidential Recount. We, as Board Members, unanimously stand by our employees in the face of these allegations."...

"The special prosecutor's investigation must indicate some sign of conclusion. It is irresponsible to not finalize an investigation of an election recount that began more than 15 months ago."

Erie County Prosecutor Kevin Baxter, who conducted the investigation at the request of Cuyahoga County Prosecutor Bill Mason, said he was surprised that the board has allowed the employees to continue working. Mason recused himself because his office represents the elections board...

In a December letter to the board and Mason, Kerger charged that the elections board staff broke the law by failing to randomly select precincts to be recounted. Kerger also charged that the board staff failed to investigate discrepancies between the recount and original vote totals.