Clinton, Obama camps see voting problems
The campaigns of Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama are complaining about problems at the polls in Ohio.
Clinton's camp said it has received troubling reports of irregularities and inappropriate behavior by Sen. Obamas campaign across the state, including a certified Obama poll watcher being removed by the presiding judge in an Akron precinct for aggressively challenging voters.
There also were reports in Cincinnati of Obama poll watchers being reprimanded after wearing campaign paraphernalia into polling places, a violation of election law, Clinton state director Robby Mook said in a news release.
But the Obama campaign disputed the Clinton camp's characterization of what happened in Akron, saying that after a poll worker was informed of the rules for observers, the Obama volunteer was allowed to perform his duties.
MSNBC also quoted Brian Williams, director of the Summit County Board of Elections, as calling the Clinton campaign's depiction of what happened "an overstatement," saying he "would not characterize that as aggressively challenging voters.
Ohio Secretary of State Jennifer Brunner's office also issued an e-mail this morning to all election officials that a letter signed by Obama's campaign director in Ohio authorizing the letter-bearer to serve as a legal poll monitor is not sufficient.
To be allowed access to a polling location, an observer must be duly appointed before the election as an official observer and have a certificate.
Brunner's office said in its e-mail that the letter being presented by Obama supporters to election officials is not legally sufficient on its own to allow someone to gain access to polling places.
Obama's campaign said the letter is only being used as identification for people monitoring polling locations from the outside. Brunner's office said there were no widespread reports of problems with Obama observers inside the polls.
Obama's camp, meanwhile, complained that some voters asking for Democratic ballots are being given Republican or issues-only ballots instead. In addition, voter identification requirements were being mishandled in some areas, causing some voters to be turned away, they said.
Without actually accusing the Clinton campaign of what could be poll-worker error, Obama state director Paul Tewes said in a statement, We understand that the Clinton campaign may want to depress turnout because Barack Obama has closed a 20-point gap over the course of this month as voters across the state got to know him.
We will continue to monitor the polls to ensure that all Ohioans who choose to participate in todays election are able to do so regardless of who they choose to vote for, Tewes said.
-- Mark Niquette
