Voters air Election Day complaints at hearing

Associated Press    13 November 2004

COLUMBUS, Ohio - More than 200 people voiced their complaints Saturday about voting problems on Election Day, some accussing the state of voter suppression.

Robert Fitrakis, a lawyer and political science professor at Columbus State Community College, organized the hearing at an east side church. Voters' problems were recorded by a court reporter and will be sent to state and county officials.

Their difficulties included broken voting machines, cars being towed from a polling site, three- to five-hour waits and too few machines.

Most of the crowd favored Democratic Sen. John Kerry for president, with many wearing campaign stickers and buttons. They cheered when one man called for Kerry to "unconcede" the election and booed at the mention of Ohio Secretary of State Kenneth Blackwell.

Fitrakis said if any glaring issues arise, he's ready to file criminal or civil lawsuits.

"I believe there is enough evidence for systematic voter suppression," he said. "To pretend that it went well on Election Day is wrong."

Matthew Damschroder, Franklin County Board of Elections Director, told The Columbus Dispatch that the election was a success.

"Nothing happened in this election that doesn't happen in any other election," he said. "The difference in this election was there was far more attention being paid by everyone."

Carol Shelton was the presiding judge at a Columbus precinct with three machines for 1,500 registered voters. At her home precinct in Clintonville, she said there were three machines for 730 voters.

"I called to get more machines and got connected to Matt Damschroder, and after lots of hassle he sent a fourth machine," she said. "It did not put a dent in the long lines. This was a clear case of voter suppression."