2004 Ballot Recount: Observer Report

• December 19, 2004:
  Report by Green Party Observer

December 19, 2004:
Report by Green Party Observer

J and I arrived at the Vinton County BoE at approximately 11:30 am on Friday December 17. I had been told twice earlier on that week that everything would begin at 12 noon. However when I arrived, the Triad worker was already in the process of starting up the counting machine. He was only in the first steps of the process so I was able to witness everything happening there.

• Jose G. Trejo, Triad worker [Triad Governmental Systems, Inc., is a private corporation that supplies and programs voting machines in many Ohio precincts]
• Eileen Perry, Democrat
• Nell Griffith,
  Director of the Board of Elections
• Crystal Jeffers,
  Democrat Deputy Chair
• Leo Amor,
  Democrat Party Chair

11:55 AM: the machine is calibrated to count only the presidential seats.

12 noon: Jose recommends that we wait for the rest of the board members to arrive. He wants to explain to everyone how the pretest works and to see that process. The following people arrive:

• Loretta Saylor,
  Democratic Party witness
• Jeff Griffith, Republican witness
• Tim Gleason, County Prosecutor

At this point Mr. Gleason [the County Prosecutor] respectfully informs me that only one of us (Green Party volunteers) may be present thoughout the recount. I politely disagree and step out to call [a member of the Green Party Recount team], making sure J is witnessing everything happening during my absence. I agree to allow J to leave and the situation is resolved at 12:10 pm.

• Anita Ousley, Republican BoE member arrives

Everyone is present. Jose runs through the testing process and the make-up of the test deck. I was assured that the test deck had been prepared earlier on that morning by Crystal and Nell. I was also shown the test deck.

12:15 PM: Leo has voiced to do the handcount of the three percent before running the test deck through the machine.

I asked what precinct they would be using to calculate the three percent and how they arrived at that decision. I was told that the Board had voted on it the days before and that it was picked because, at 277 ballots cast, it added up the closest to the three percent. I respectfully disagreed and requested that the three percent be chosen again however, the motion was denied and the recount continued.

Crystal opens up the ballot boxes that had been locked since the election. I trust this information.

12:20 PM: Jose recommends that the machine recognize every overvote and undervote. He will print 7 copies of the individual precinct reports, enough for almost all of us.

12:48 PM: I ask if provisionals and absentee ballots are present in the Knox precinct. I am assured that they are. I am told they look the same as the other puchcards.

Handcount begins. I am quite able to observe each ballot as it is counted by Patty Napier (R) and Eileen Perry (D), and is passed to Leo Amor, who is placing the the ballots in stacks. The board counts at a comfortable speed and willingly holds up ballots so I can closely observe the punchcards. In this count, Kerry receives 160, Bush receives 111, there are 4 undervotes (which I examined three times with the magnifying glass) and 2 overvotes that decidedly go for Bush.

One overvote is challenged by Loretta, the Democratic party witness. The ballot has been punched once for Bush and once for Nader. As Nader is not on the Ohio ballot, the board thinks that the vote should count for Bush. Loretta points out that there weren't enough signs explaining to people that Nader was not on the ballot and someone may have voted for him anyway.

The board votes on the matter and unanimously concludes that the vote be counted for Bush.

The other ballot has been punched once for Bush and once in the wrong spot, electing no one. This is also placed in the votes for Bush pile.

The ballots placed in two piles, one for Bush and one for Kerry, then divided into smaller piles of ten. These are recounted by Patty and Eileen.

Just after 1:00 PM: The board selects the four precincts used to test the validity of the machine. This is done by writing the names of the precincts on paper and then randomly selecting from a cardboard box. These four precincts are Richland NW, Richland SE, Eagle, and Madison.

Nell gets the four ballot books for the precincts. Jose starts the computer to print 7 copies of each test precinct report. He then calibrates the machine to zero. He runs the test deck (prepared that morning) and show us the copy. Then he begins testing the precincts.

The numbers match the number on the pollbook. Then he tests the four header cards with the test deck. The numbers match. He then zeroes out the machine. There are currently zero votes recorded in the computer. Seven copies of the zero verification report are printed.

1:26 PM: The machine recount of Knox begins. The machine stops for some reason. There is a small problem with the vacuum in the machine. Jose takes the remaining uncounted ballots, bends them a little, replaces them in the machine and it begins running again. He explains that sometimes the ballots become bowed and stick or "sit" wrong. The machine count matches the hand count.

Eileen and Nell compare the pollbook with the counting chart from the machine. Machine recount commences.

At this point, I see some chads fling from the machine. Jose assures me that these are hanging chads left from other positions on the ballot. I allow the counting to continue:

The count has been completed and the cumulative report is created.

• MacArthur East getting 200 the first time and 199 the second, and
• MacArthur NW with 216 votes the first time and 215 the second

The recount results are saved and the vote is verified at 2:19 pm. Jose runs the end test, the four test precincts check out and the machine is reset to zero. Jose runs the zero verification report.

At this point I am finally able to see the pollbooks. I randomly choose four precincts to examine. Crystal and Nell show them to me. I am able to see that all votes are accounted for and the signatures are clearly explained to me. On two occasions, the numbers on the inside of the book didn't match the number recorded. Nell and I were able to figure out what had happened. Everything was legit.

The recount is certified and the meeting is adjourned. I witness the people leaving and go home. The time is now 3:20 PM. I feel it important to recount that everyone present that day was a pleasure to work with. There were no problems at all and the people at the BoE were respectful of my needs. A day that I had expected to be rough and tiring was actually fun and enjoyable.