Archive of Daily Updates » Cobb-LaMarche 2004

Archive of Daily Updates

Tuesday, January 11, 2005: Press Supporting Reform, Questioning Blackwell

One of the signs of success for a grassroots political movement is when your message is picked up and repeated by the mainstream media. And that's what's happening now. The Green Party and the Cobb-LaMarche campaign have been long-time advocates for making our system of elections more accessible, accountable and democratic. Our efforts, seeking recounts in Ohio and New Mexico and leading the charge for the challenge of Ohio's tainted Electoral College votes, have resulted in many editorials, articles, and commentary highlighting the need for serious reform of an unfair and dysfunctional electoral system.

Editorial boards for a variety of prominent newspapers — including the New York Times and the Boston Globe — have joined us in calling for voter-verifiable paper trails for voting machines, uniform standards for elections and election oversight by independent, non-partisan officials instead of partisan political party hacks such as Ohio Secretary of State Kenneth Blackwell.

That's a great beginning. But we need to go further. (Read an inspiring open letter from Pat LaMarche, Green Party Vice Presidential Candidate).

We need to advocate for public financing of campaigns to keep private money out of our most cherished public process. We need instant runoff voting to eliminate the "spoiler" dynamic, give third parties a chance to compete fairly and to ensure that whoever wins an election does it with a majority of votes cast. Voter registration should be allowed right up until Election Day which should be made a holiday or moved to the weekend to encourage as much participation as possible. more details

Now is the time to push for all these reforms. Contact your representatives and ask them to sponsor election reform legislation. What happened in Ohio in 2004, and in Florida in 2000, must never happen again. It's up to all of us to do something about it.

Wednesday, January 12, 2005: Come to a Historic Progressive Conference

David Cobb (Green Party), Medea Benjamin (Code Pink and Global Exchange), and many other progressives and independents are planning to participate on an Electoral Reform Panel at the Progressive Summit being convened by the Progressive Democrats of America in Washington January 21 to 23. Join us!

One very positive development coming out of the success of the Electoral Justice movement on January 6th was the close working relationship developed between Greens, progressive Democrats, Libertarians, independents, and even some fair-minded Republicans. Those of us who were disgusted at the blatant disregard for the law and fair voting practices that was so evident on Election Day are coming together at a historic Progressive Summit sponsored by the Progressive Democrats of America on January 21 through 23 in Washington, DC. David Cobb (Green Party), Medea Benjamin (Code Pink and Global Exchange), and others will be featured speakers, so please try to join us!

Meanwhile, media pressure is building on the Bush Administration to make our system of elections more accessible, accountable and democratic. Editorial boards for a variety of prominent newspapers — including the New York Times and the Boston Globe — have joined us in calling for voter-verifiable paper trails for voting machines, uniform standards for elections and election oversight by independent, non-partisan officials instead of partisan political party hacks such as Ohio Secretary of State Kenneth Blackwell.

That's a great beginning. But we need to go further. (Read an inspiring open letter from Pat LaMarche, Green Party Vice Presidential Candidate).

Monday, January 10, 2005: Calls for Accountability Gaining Momentum

What started as a trickle of stories about the alleged vote fraud in Ohio has become a flood after the historic challenge to the Ohio Electoral College votes on January 6th. See it for yourself in our clipping archive and blogs and online opinion archive. For example, the Columbus Dispatch joins the growing list of papers nation-wide asking that Ohio Secretary of State Kenneth Blackwell be investigated for a fundraising letter he sent to Republican donors and activists statewide asking for contributions to his gubernatorial campaign committee. Aside from requesting corporate contributions, which are illegal under Ohio election law, Blackwell said, "I want to say thank you for helping deliver the great Buckeye State for George W. Bush," adding that "unapologetic liberal" Democratic Sen. John Kerry could have won Ohio — but "thankfully, you and I stopped that disaster from happening."

The mainstream press is starting to acknowledge the importance of the grassroots patriots who made the Electoral vote challenge possible. Sheryl Gay Stolberg and James Dao, writing in the January 7th New York Times, said, "In many ways, the debate came about because of the relentless efforts of a small group of third-party activists, liberal lawyers, Internet muckrakers and civil rights groups, who have been arguing since Election Day that the Ohio vote was rigged for Mr. Bush." They also quoted Green Party presidential candidate David Cobb, who noted that, "I think we're seeing a political realignment going on. The rank and file of the Democratic Party are far more progressive than the corporatist leaders of the party."

William Rivers Pitt, who has kept alive the tradition of responsible, critical, investigative journalism in an age dominated by corporate-controlled news outlets, opened a recent column dedicated to the heroes of the Electoral College challenge by acknowledging the efforts of David Cobb, Michael Badnarik, and the Green and Libertarian parties. "As one of the journalists privileged to be able to report on the events which culminated in Thursday's challenge to the Ohio Electors, I have had the chance to meet and observe a whole crowd of remarkable people....David Cobb and Michael Badnarik, [the] presidential candidates for the Green Party and Libertarian Party, deserve the lion's share of praise and credit for the events of Thursday January 6th. Before anyone else came within a mile of pushing the pile towards some kind of national reckoning regarding the election 'irregularities' in Ohio, Cobb and Badnarik had their shoulders down and were throwing weight.

"Their lawsuits in Ohio may develop into a truly significant process, particularly if their motions to preserve evidence, examine the voting machines and depose the election players are allowed to proceed. The outcome and ultimate results of Thursday's Electoral challenge may still be in the wind, but one thing is certain: Cobb and Badnarik forced the Democrats to do the right thing, and that makes Thursday a banner day for third parties in America. more

Sunday, January 9, 2005: Blackwell Solicitation Raises Concerns

The Columbus Dispatch joins the growing list of papers nation-wide asking that Ohio Secretary of State be investigated for a fundraising letter he sent to Republican donors and activists statewide asking for contributions to his gubernatorial campaign committee. Aside from requesting corporate contributions, which are illegal under Ohio election law, Blackwell said, "I want to say thank you for helping deliver the great Buckeye State for George W. Bush," adding that "unapologetic liberal" Democratic Sen. John Kerry could have won Ohio — but "thankfully, you and I stopped that disaster from happening."

Saturday, January 8, 2005: Success on January 6, But Tasks Remain

Thanks to David Cobb and the Green Party, who were proud and privileged to stand up for the voters of Ohio along with the Libertarian Party, the National Voting Rights Institute, and many others, electoral reform is now front and center on the national stage. All of you who volunteered to observe the 88 Ohio county recounts, raised money to pay the recount expenses, and wrote, called, marched, and raised your voices can pat yourselves on the back for a job well done. Take a moment to savor your victory, and then let's get on to the important work of making sure that each person can vote, and each person's vote counts.

Rep. Stephanie Tubbs-Jones of Ohio and Sen. Barbara Boxer of California join the list of heroes of American democracy for their courageous decision to stand up on January 6th for the disenfranchised voters in Ohio. By objecting to the Ohio Electoral College votes, they, Rep. Conyers, the Congressional Black Caucus, and many others started a debate that highlighted the glaring problems facing voters in Ohio and elsewhere. While Republican legislators said that the debates were frivolous and unnecessary, the fact remains that widespread problems cited in 2000 were not fixed in time for the 2004 election. More work remains, and these hearings have set the stage for the next phase of our work.

January 6, 2005 will be remembered as Democracy Day in America. Hundreds of thousands of us have called, emailed, and marched to urge our Senators to stand up for Ohio voters who were denied the chance to vote and whose votes were not counted. We remembered the betrayal of democracy from 2001, when African American voters demanded support from their Senators and received none. This time, one brave Senator and 31 Representatives voted to protest Ohio's tainted 2004 Electoral College votes.

Please email this page to others so that we can keep electoral reform at the top of the Congressional agenda this year. Also, if you have an opinion, please be sure to post it in our Ohio Recount Blog!

Friday, January 7, 2005: Electoral Reform Now At Center Stage

Wednesday, January 5, 2005: Congress: Tainted Votes Must Be Rejected!

Kenneth Blackwell has admitted in a private letter that he "delivered" Ohio for George Bush. That and other revelations are motivating the hundreds of thousands of us who are flooding the phones in Congress, urging them to reject Ohio's tainted Electoral College votes when it convenes on January 6th (unlike 2001, when our Senators failed us, as you remember from this video). Rev. Jesse Jackson and others are on a historic "March on Washington" from Baltimore to DC, and busloads of angry Ohioans are en route to DC, where David Cobb and many others will speak at 10 AM at Lafayette Park and noon at the Capitol on January 6th to demand that Congress reject Ohio's tainted Electoral College votes and allow a truly full, fair and open re-count. Meanwhile, the Cobb legal team is holding a press conference in Albuquerque today to demand a New Mexico recount.

Reject Ohio's Tainted Electoral Votes

Please contact your Representative and Senators and ask them to reject Ohio's Electoral College votes, and conduct a full Congressional Investigation of the massive disenfranchisement of minority voters in Ohio and elsewhere. Let's flood the Senate with calls through January 6th. The Capitol Hill switchboard is 202-224-3121. Here are some talking points. Remind your elected officials that you'll be watching them on C-SPAN this Thursday to see whether they stand up for the voters or not. You can also listen online on KPFA.

Also plan to join the demonstrations today and tomorrow in Ohio, Washington, D.C., and in your state. Wear orange like the people of the Ukraine. Make a sign and go to your City Hall, State Capitol, or Congress. Come all day, come before or after work, or just come on your lunch break, but please stand with us for democracy!

It is critical that the American public delivers a strong message to Congress before and on January 6th. Those telling us to "get over it" today are the same people who did so little to fix the tainted election of 2000 that it happened again in 2004. This time, we are not going to "get over it" until the problem of unfair elections is addressed!

Tuesday, January 4, 2005: Patriots Protesting Tainted Votes

The weeklong campaign to urge Congress to reject Ohio's tainted Electoral College votes when it convenes on January 6th is gaining momentum! David Cobb and many others rallied in Columbus, Ohio yesterday. Cobb and others will speak in D.C. [at 10 am at Lafayette Park and noon at the Capitol] on January 6th to demand that Congress reject Ohio's tainted Electoral College votes and allow a fair and open re-count — not like the one allowed by Secretary of State Blackwell during December. Meanwhile, the Cobb legal team is holding a press conference in Santa Fe today to demand a New Mexico recount, a "March on Washington" is starting in Baltimore that will end in D.C. on January 6, and groups all across the nation are planning events to urge Congress to stand up for democracy on January 6th.

Reject Ohio's Tainted Electoral Votes

Also plan to join the demonstrations starting January 3-6 in Ohio, Washington, D.C., and in your state.

It is critical that the American public delivers a strong message to Congress before January 6th. Those telling us to "get over it" today are the same people who did so little to fix the tainted election of 2000 that it happened again in 2004. This time, we are not going to "get over it" until the problem of unfair elections is addressed!

Monday, January 3, 2005: Week of Nationwide Protests Begins

Momentum is building! Rev. Jesse Jackson, David Cobb, recount lawyer John Bonifaz and many others are rallying in Columbus, Ohio today and in D.C. [at 10 am at Lafayette Park and noon at the Capitol] on January 6 to demand that Congress reject Ohio's tainted Electoral College votes and allow a fair and open re-count — not like the one allowed by Secretary of State Blackwell during December. Meanwhile, spontaneous protests are being organized all across the country, such as a rally at 9 AM on January 6 at FBI headquarters in Washington to urge the FBI to investigate the numerous allegations of vote-rigging and vote-suppression on November 2nd.

Reject Ohio's Tainted Electoral Votes

In addition, plan to join the demonstrations starting January 3-6 in Ohio, Washington, D.C., and in your state. This week will be a crucial one for the future of democracy in this country. Those telling us to "get over it" today are the same people who did so little to fix the tainted election of 2000 that it happened again in 2004. This time, we are not going to "get over it" until the lack of fair and transparent elections is addressed!

Sunday, January 2, 2005: Protests in Ohio, D.C. and Nationwide

The next week will be a crucial one for the future of democracy in this country. Those telling us to "get over it" today are the same people who did so little to fix the tainted election of 2000 that it happened again in 2004. This time, we are not going to "get over it" until the lack of fair and transparent elections is addressed. Join David Cobb, recount attorney John Bonifaz, and others in Columbus on January 3, in D.C. [at 10 am at Lafayette Park and noon at the Capitol] on January 6, or at any one of the hundreds of actions that will be taking place in your state this week as we demand that Congress reject Ohio's tainted Electoral College votes.

Reject Ohio's Tainted Electoral Votes

Please contact your Representative and Senators (especially Republicans) and ask them to reject Ohio's Electoral College votes, and conduct a full Congressional Investigation of the massive disenfranchisement of minority voters in Ohio and elsewhere. Let’s flood the Senate with calls leading up to and on January 6th. The Capitol Hill information number is 202-224-3121.

In addition, plan to join the demonstrations starting January 3-6 in Ohio, Washington, D.C., and in your state. It's our democracy, and we won't "get over it"!

Saturday, January 1, 2005: Action Needed at Home and Abroad

As 2005 begins, here's to a better year for all of us. 2004 ended on a somber note, with the tainted elections in Ohio and New Mexico, and then the overwhelming devastation caused by a massive tsunami on December 26th. As we prepare to protest the tainted Ohio Electoral College votes over the next few weeks, please support tsunami relief efforts to help provide food, temporary shelter, and clean water to those in urgent need.

Reject Ohio's Tainted Electoral Votes

In addition, plan to join the demonstrations starting January 3-6 in Ohio, Washington, D.C., and in your state. It's our democracy, and we won't "get over it"!

Still Separate and Unequal in America

Play the video more videos

Columbus, Ohio Election Day video by linda_byrket@yahoo.com. For related documents, contact Sheri Leigh Myers at 310-390-8141.

Ohio Electors met on December 13 to cast votes for George Bush even though the Ohio recount had not yet started. These tainted votes must be rejected and a new recount ordered when Congress convenes on January 6 to count the Electoral College votes.

Among the problems that must be remedied were the votes that the Ohio Recount — under Ohio law — was not allowed to consider, because they were never counted. These are the "spoiled" ballots, the rejected provisional ballots, the people who were not allowed to cast a vote.

Thousands of Ohio voters, including elderly and disabled, and parents with children, were forced to wait in line for hours in the rain and the cold. As the video shows, many of these men and women, after standing in the rain for hours waiting to vote, were turned away, given provisional ballots, or had to leave and could not vote at all.

These are the people whose children stand on the front lines in Iraq. Who will speak for these people? Who will defend and protect them on our own shores? It is time to end this shameful chapter in American history once and for all.

What Are You Doing To Protest Tainted Elections?

Protest activities are moving to center stage this week, as broad coalitions are planning activities to urge Congress to reject the tainted Electoral College votes from Ohio. Major activitities are planned in Ohio on January 3, busloads of angry Ohioans are coming to Washington to talk to their legislators before the Electoral College votes are counted on January 6, and a major "March on Washington" comparable to the Selma, Alabama freedom marches forty years ago, will start in Baltimore on January 4 and end up in D.C. on January 6. Check for events in your own communities where you can show your support for democracy and your opposition to tainted elections.

Please email this page to others so we can raise public awareness and urge our Representatives and Senators to reject the tainted Ohio Electoral votes and order a full and fair recount in Ohio when Congress meets on January 6th to count the Electoral College votes. Also, please be sure to post your opinion in our new Ohio Recount Blog!

Cobb Calls For Full and Fair Recount

David Cobb will be in Washington, DC on January 6, speaking at public rallies and urging Congress to reject Ohio's Electoral College votes. On December 30th, his attorneys filed an amended complaint in federal court, demanding that the recount of Ohio's presidential vote be done again, this time in conformance with state and federal law. Cobb will speak at a rally in Lafayette Park, across from the White House, at 10 a.m., and at a separate event later in the day at Upper Senate Park on Capitol Hill. more events

"The people of Ohio deserve to have their votes counted fairly and accurately. The initial recount of Ohio's presidential vote was conducted inconsistently, haphazardly and in clear violation of even Mr. Blackwell's minimal standards. [And,] with the Ohio results still not final, it would be inappropriate for Congress to certify the presidential vote, especially while it is the subject of pending litigation in federal court," said Cobb.

"There's clearly a legitimate basis for a new recount. In a previous hearing, the judge indicated that if the recount was not conducted in accordance with uniform standards that we could petition the court for a new recount," said Cobb-LaMarche Media Director Blair Bobier.

Friday, December 31, 2004: Congress Urged to Reject Ohio Electoral Votes

On December 30th, two days after the conclusion of the flawed recount of Ohio's presidential vote, attorneys for Green Party presidential candidate David Cobb filed an amended complaint in federal court demanding that the recount of Ohio's presidential vote be done again, this time in conformance with state and federal law. more

Cobb will be in Washington, DC on January 6, the day Congress considers the votes of the presidential electors, speaking at public rallies and urging Congress to reject the votes from Ohio's Electoral College delegation. Cobb will speak at a rally in Lafayette Park, across from the White House, at 10 a.m., and at a separate event later in the day at Upper Senate Park on Capitol Hill. more events

Check for events in your own communities where you can show your support for democracy and your opposition to tainted elections, and please email this page to others so we can raise public awareness and keep the pressure on our Representatives in every state between now and January 6th, when the Electoral College meets. Also, please be sure to post your opinion in our new Ohio Recount Blog!

How the Ohio Vote Was Tainted

If you take a few minutes to read County Recount Reports from the observers who monitored the recount in Ohio's 88 counties, you will see why David Cobb and many others have come to the conclusion that the Ohio Electoral College votes are tainted and must be rejected by Congress. For example, in Fairfield County, Ohio, a full recount should have been ordered when the 3% test sample did not match the official vote totals. Instead, based on what county officials said was a recommendation from Secretary Blackwell's office, the recount was "suspended" so that they would not have to do a full recount. In Champaign County, a precinct signature book, necessary to verify that the number of votes that were cast, will not be made available to our recount observers until after January 10 (four days after Congress has counted the Electoral College votes on January 6), per orders of the Secretary of State.

Another key issue is this: How can we be sure how many people voted when the "chain of custody" of vote tabulators and even paper ballots has been compromised by unsupervised access given to machine technicians? In Van Wert County, for example, our observer reported:

"When asked if Triad had serviced the machine, the deputy director and a board member stated that they had serviced the machine over the phone via modem on December 9th."

In Ashland County, there were other security issues:

"The cast ballots are stored by precinct in open cubicles along one wall of this room, completely open and visible to anyone who enters this room....Piled on top of the cubicles holding the vote are baskets, Doritos, paper plates, mugs, cleaning products, Fresh-n-Soft, Glad Wrap, etc."

These "chain of custody" issues are especially important when you consider that, as reported in the New York Times, "Voting machine companies and their supporters have been given a large say in the process [of setting federal standards for electronic voting machines], while advocates for voters, including those who insist on the use of voter-verified paper receipts, have been pushed to the margins. The chairman of the working group preparing the standards for voting machines is a top executive of Election Systems and Software [ES&S], a large and controversial voting machine maker."

Thursday, December 30, 2004: Protests Planned; Cobb Urges Action

A day after the conclusion of the flawed recount of Ohio's presidential vote, Green Party presidential candidate David Cobb called on Congress to challenge the legitimacy of Ohio's Electoral College delegation.

"The recount of Ohio's presidential vote was conducted in clear violation of both the spirit and the letter of the law. We can have no faith in the results when both the initial election and the recount were conducted in a haphazard and clearly illegitimate manner. Ohio's presidential electors are tainted by unresolved allegations of voter suppression and the lack of a meaningful recount. Congress must reject and challenge their votes," said Cobb.

"We have done our utmost to protect the integrity of our right to vote in court and through the recount process, yet a cloud of suspicion still hangs over the election results. We cannot sit back and allow our rights to be violated. It is time for Congress to defend the right to vote and the right to have all votes counted, and time for the people to engage in loud and peaceful protests," said Cobb. more

How the Ohio Vote Was Tainted

"When asked if Triad had serviced the machine, the deputy director and a board member stated that they had serviced the machine over the phone via modem on December 9th."

In Ashland County, there were other security issues:

Wednesday, December 29, 2004: Blackwell, Bush, Rove Subpoenaed for Depositions

According to a breaking story in the Columbus, Ohio-based Free Press, "Ohio Republican Secretary of State J. Kenneth Blackwell refused to appear at a deposition on Monday, December 27. The deposition was part of an election challenge lawsuit filed at the Ohio Supreme Court. Blackwell, in a court filing, says he's not required to be interviewed as a high-ranking public official, and accused the voters challenging the results of 'frivolous conduct' and abusive and unnecessary requests of elections officials around the state....President George Bush, Vice-President Richard Cheney and White House Political Advisor Karl Rove received notice that they will be deposed Tuesday and Wednesday, December 28 and 29."

If Secretary Blackwell doesn't want to submit to cross-examination in court, and refuses to answer the detailed questions about the Ohio election sent to him by Rep. John Conyers, then how will we get to the bottom of what happened in Ohio on November 2nd? As reported in the Black Commentator, Rep. Conyers' letter asked Secretary Blackwell, among other things, why he had not investigated criminal acts committed on Election Day, such as intentionally misleading voters about the location of their polling place, thus increasing the number of provisional ballots found invalid.

Those of us particpating in the county recount process have seen Secretary Blackwell's presence in several key recount decisions so far. For example, in Fairfield County, a full recount should have been ordered when the 3% test sample did not match the official vote totals. Instead, based on what county officials said was a recommendation from Secretary Blackwell's office, the recount was "suspended" so that they would not have to do a full recount. In Champaign County, a precinct signature book, necessary to verify that the number of votes that were cast, will not be made available to our recount observers until after January 10 (four days after Congress has counted the Electoral College votes on January 6), per orders of the Secretary of State.

"Chain of Custody" Has Been Compromised

Another question we have for Secretary Blackwell is how he can say for sure that the state-wide vote totals are accurate, given that the "chain of custody" of vote tabulators and even paper ballots has been compromised by unsupervised access given to machine technicians. In Van Wert County, for example, our observer reported:

"When asked if Triad had serviced the machine, the deputy director and a board member stated that they had serviced the machine over the phone via modem on December 9th."

In Ashland County, there were other security issues:

Tuesday, December 28, 2004: Blackwell on tne Run

When Mahatma Gandhi said, "First they ignore you, then they ridicule you, then they fight you, then you win," he could have been talking about Ohio in 2004. Secretary of State Kenneth Blackwell, who presided so triumphantly over the granting of Ohio's 20 Electoral votes to President Bush on December 13 even though the recount had not yet started, has gone past ignoring and ridiculing the recount movement. Now that his house of cards is tumbling down, he is starting to fight back.

In a story in yesterday's Akron Beacon Journal and the online version of ABC News, it was reported that "Secretary of State Blackwell requested a protective order to prevent him from being interviewed as part of an unusual court challenge of the presidential vote.... [I]n a court filing, [Blackwell] says he's not required to be interviewed by lawyers as a high-ranking public official, and accused the voters challenging the [Ohio election] results of 'frivolous conduct' and abusive and unnecessary requests of elections officials around the state."

Rep. John Conyers Demands Answers

"Chain of Custody" Has Been Compromised

"When asked if Triad had serviced the machine, the deputy director and a board member stated that they had serviced the machine over the phone via modem on December 9th."

In Ashland County, there were other security issues:

If You Want Your Vote to Count in 2008, Join Us January 3-6

Jesse Jackson, CASE Ohio, and a broad coalition of groups will be holding a Pro-Democracy Rally in Columbus, Ohio at 2:00 PM on January 3, and then Rev. Jackson and others will hold a "Save Our Votes" rally in Baltimore at 10:00 AM in Baltimore on January 4 before starting an historic "March on Washington". That march will end up at a "Defend Democracy" rally and vigil in Washington while Congress is counting the tainted Ohio Electoral Votes on January 6th.

Check for events in your own communities where you can show your support for democracy and your opposition to tainted elections, and please email this page to others so we can raise public awareness and keep the pressure on our Representatives in every state between now and January 6th, when the Electoral College meets. Also, please be sure to post your opinion in our new Ohio Recount Blog!

Monday, December 27, 2004

As more county recount reports flow into our office, it is becoming clearer that Secretary Blackwell's office had a direct role in making it harder to vote in Ohio and harder to recount the vote.

For example, the new Champaign County report describes how the precinct signature book, necessary to verify that the number of votes that were cast, will not be made available to our recount observers until after January 10, per orders of the Secretary of State (and, of course, Congress convenes on January 6 to receive the Electoral College votes, so irregularities discovered after that date are old news).

Another fact to emerge from the recount reports is that no one can say for sure whether the state-wide vote totals are accurate, because the "chain of custody" of vote tabulators and even paper ballots has been compromised by unsupervised access given to machine technicians. In Van Wert County, for example, our observer reported:

"When asked if Triad had serviced the machine, the deputy director and a board member stated that they had serviced the machine over the phone via modem on December 9th."

In Ashland County, there were other security issues:

In another recent development, our website team received an email from our hosting company, saying that our bandwidth usage is spiking. In fact, traffic usually goes way down over the holidays, but not this website. Thousands of you have been spending an average of over three minutes per visit (the industry average is well under one minute), and website statistics show you are coming from all over America and from many countries overseas.

Please email this page to others so we can raise public awareness and keep the pressure on our Representatives in every state between now and January 6th, when the Electoral College meets. Also, please be sure to post your opinion in our new Ohio Recount Blog!

The latest County Recount Reports include: Ashland, Champaign, Guernsey, Hardin, Knox, Mercer, Miami, Montgomery, Noble, and Van Wert. These new reports describe more "irregularities" that are being investigated by our attorneys. Written to help the public understand the magnitude of the problems facing Ohio voters, the recount reports on this site were created by Green, Libertarian, Democratic, and independent recount observers. Check back daily to see the new reports and features added. Thanks again to the 6,000+ donors and 3,000+ volunteers who are making this happen.

Meanwhile, the New Mexico Supreme Court declined to hear our petition for a writ of mandamus, upholding a State Canvassing Board decision that Cobb and Libertarian Michael Badnarik pay the full cost of the New Mexico recount in advance (estimated by the Board at $1.4 million). That decision was contrary to New Mexico law, because there is no legal requirement that campaigns pay the full cost in advance, nor any way to accurately estimate the cost of the recount before it is completed. press release commentary: Mock the Vote more updates

Sunday, December 26, 2004

We hope the holidays are going well for everyone. Our staff took yesterday off to relax and prepare for the many recount-related activities that will continue into January. Thirteen days into the recount process, however, the surge in interest in this website (and in the recount generally, as you can see by looking at the New York Times piece and other articles in our press section) show that you all are still interested in this historic recount effort.

The website team received an email from our hosting company this morning, saying that our bandwidth usage is so high that we will have to pay an extra fee this month (yes, your donations are still needed). In fact, traffic usually goes way down over the holidays, but not this website. Thousands of you have been spending an average of over three minutes per visit (the industry average is well under one minute), and website statistics show you are coming from all over America and from many countries overseas.

Welcome, and please email this page to others so we can raise public awareness and keep the pressure on our Representatives in every state between now and January 6th, when the Electoral College meets. Also, please be sure to post your opinion in our new Ohio Recount Blog!

Based on County Recount Reports by hundreds of recount observers, David Cobb and the Cobb-LaMarche legal team asked a Federal Court last Thursday to preserve a wide range of evidence, including voting machines and election records, to ensure the integrity of the Ohio presidential recount. "It is time for the federal judiciary to step in and ensure the integrity of the recount in Ohio, something which Ohio's blatantly partisan Secretary of State is either unwilling or thoroughly incapable of doing," said Cobb.

Saturday, December 25, 2004

Merry Christmas to those of you celebrating this holiday. Many of our staff are taking this weekend off to relax and prepare for the many recount-related activities that will continue into January. Twelve days into the recount process, several major recount-related developments have broken recently in Ohio and New Mexico. Enjoy your holiday, but please email this page to your circle of friends and family so that we can keep the ongoing struggle for one-person-one-vote in the spotlight as we start a new year. And be sure to post your opinion in our new Ohio Recount Blog!

Based on County Recount Reports by hundreds of recount observers, David Cobb and the Cobb-LaMarche legal team asked a Federal Court on Thursday to preserve a wide range of evidence, including voting machines and election records, to ensure the integrity of the Ohio presidential recount. "It is time for the federal judiciary to step in and ensure the integrity of the recount in Ohio, something which Ohio's blatantly partisan Secretary of State is either unwilling or thoroughly incapable of doing," said Cobb.

Also new on the site today are Ohio Recount Eyewitness Reports for the following counties: Ashland, Hardin, Knox, Mercer, Miami, and Montgomery. The new reports describe more "irregularities" that are being investigated by our attorneys. Written to help the public understand the magnitude of the problems facing Ohio voters, the recount reports on this site were created by Green, Libertarian, Democratic, and independent recount observers. Check back daily to see the new reports and features added. Thanks again to the 6,000+ donors and 3,000+ volunteers who are making this happen.

Friday, December 24, 2004

Eleven days into the recount process, and at a time when many of us are turning our attention to family and holiday activities, several major recount-related developments are breaking in Ohio and New Mexico. Enjoy your holiday, but please email this page to your circle of friends and family so that we can keep the ongoing struggle for one-person-one-vote in the spotlight as we start a new year. And be sure to post your opinion in our new Ohio Recount Blog!

Based on County Recount Reports by hundreds of recount observers, David Cobb and the Cobb-LaMarche legal team asked a Federal Court yesterday to preserve a wide range of evidence, including voting machines and election records, to ensure the integrity of the Ohio presidential recount. "It is time for the federal judiciary to step in and ensure the integrity of the recount in Ohio, something which Ohio's blatantly partisan Secretary of State is either unwilling or thoroughly incapable of doing," said Cobb.

Thursday, December 23, 2004

Ten days into the Ohio recount process, the reports being received from Green, Libertarian, Democratic and non-partisan observers in Ohio's 88 counties reveal many problems with the way voting and vote counting were done in Ohio during Election 2004. Most disturbing of all is the way that "separate and unequal" treatment for African Americans has once again returned to rear its ugly head in Ohio (as well as other states across the nation). Please visit our new County Reports file to see the details, or read Green Party Presidential Candidate David Cobb's latest report to the nation in an article just published on Common Dreams.

Based on the growing mountain of evidence being compiled by county recount observers in all 88 counties, David Cobb also issued a press release yesterday to give voice to something that is on the mind of many Ohioans: "Given [Ohio Secretary of State] Blackwell's lack of cooperation and the problems which have plagued the recount, we have to wonder whether he is an incompetent elections administrator or whether he is deliberately obstructing the recount process. It is very clear that he has a conflict of interest and should have stepped aside weeks ago." read the press release more updates

You Must See This Video

Still Separate and Unequal in America

Play the video more videos

Columbus, Ohio Election Day video by linda_byrket@yahoo.com. For related documents, contact Sheri Leigh Myers at 310-390-8141.

These are the votes that the Ohio Recount — under Ohio law — was not allowed to consider, because they were never counted. These are the "spoiled" ballots, the rejected provisional ballots, the people who were not allowed to cast a vote.

These are the people whose children stand on the front lines in Iraq. Who will speak for these people? Who will defend and protect them on our own shores?

Please contact your representative and senator (especially Republicans) and demand a full Congressional Investigation of the massive disenfranchisement of minority voters in Ohio and elsewhere.

It is time to end this shameful chapter in American history once and for all.

Wednesday, December 22, 2004

In reviewing the first nine days of the Ohio recount, Green party Presidential Candidate said, "Given [Ohio Secretary of State] Blackwell's lack of cooperation and the problems which have plagued the recount, we have to wonder whether he is an incompetent elections administrator or whether he is deliberately obstructing the recount process. It is very clear that he has a conflict of interest and should have stepped aside weeks ago." more.

County recount observer reports continue to flow in from all over Ohio, but the Ohio Recount effort is far from over. Please visit our new County Reports file to see the true stories of the recount. For example:

Hamilton County: Approximately 400 provisional ballots allegedly were rejected because they were cast in the wrong precinct, despite the fact that they were cast at the right polling station (i.e., at a polling station with more than one precinct).
Fairfield County: When the hand recount of the 3% test sample did not match the official vote totals, a full recount should have been ordered for all county ballots. Instead, the recount was "suspended" by county officials who said that Secretary Blackwell recommended that the recount should begin again "from scratch." The Green recount observers then were told that it was 4:00 PM, the building was closed, and all had to leave. The Republican contingent, however was allowed to stay in a conference room for an additional ten minutes or so for a private discussion.
Belmont County and Summit County: Recount witnesses were threatened with expulsion if they spoke to counting teams. In some instances, they were expected to "observe" from up to 20 feet away, despite Ohio Election Law allowing observers to be close enough to actually observe.
Medina County: Election officials were aware of several "problem" districts, but instead chose to perform the manual 3% test recount on two precincts that had been part of a School Levy Recount the previous Monday. That meant that those ballots had been taken out of the standard "double lock" situation and had been handled several times since Monday.
Huron County: The punchcard tabulator test was observed only by Republican witnesses. This test was conducted the day before the Green witness was invited to observe the recount.

Despite the start of the holiday season, some of our county observers and coordinators are still writing their reports, and our core staff are still hard at work meeting with election officials, interfacing with the press, and coordinating with other groups addressing recount and Election 2004 voting irregularities. Please take a moment today to do your part by making a donation (of any amount) to help defray the substantial costs of this effort. We had a good showing yesterday, and need just a few more days to meet our goal. Please share what you can!

Meanwhile, the New Mexico Supreme Court heard a motion on Monday by the Green Party and others to start the recount. We'll update that story later today. Meanwhile, you can read the December 16 Verified Petition for Mandamus and the Supplement, which detail the reasons why the New Mexico recount should proceed.

On December 7, 2004, our attorneys sent a letter via facsimile and via overnight mail, on our behalf, to Secretary Blackwell outlining a series of issues relating to his Outline of Recount Procedures as posted on his official website. We stated in the letter that "resolution of these issues is necessary in order to ensure that the recount is conducted uniformly in the various county boards of election and in accordance with state and federal law."

As reports from conversations with the different Boards of Elections and our County Coordinators began to come in last week, we grew concerned about the varying standards throughout the State of Ohio as to how the recount in each of the counties would be conducted.

Those varying standards raised serious equal protection and due process concerns. We attempted to go back to Federal Court again on Friday, December 10th before the recount began. The judge denied our Motion for Injunctive Relief citing, as before, the lack of 'irreparable harm' that we would encounter — the third time our efforts to seek a timely and meaningful recount was denied because David Cobb and Michael Badnarik, the Green and Libertarian presidential candidates, respectively, were unlikely to get any electoral college votes.

The Attorney General had until end of business day on December 16th to respond, which he has now done. Basically, the Secretary of State and the Brief of Amici Curiae, filed by the County Commissioners Association of Ohio and Ohio's Association of Election Officials, asked the Court to deny our motion. Notice this phrase in their papers: "...However, these Plaintiffs are doing something far worse. Through this litigation, they are asking this Court to replace the Ohio Secretary of State."

At long last, the Franklin County Board of Elections held a hearing on December 16 to receive testimony from voters about their experiences on Election Day. Amy Kaplan, our Franklin County Recount Coordinator, challenged the Board for not taking advantage of the recount process to restore her faith in the integrity of the system. She went through a long list of requests that she and the Cobb campaign had made in order to have a meaningful recount, especially regarding the DRE machines. All such requests were denied.

Another speaker asked where the Board had been during the four hearings the voters had organized the week of November 13 through 21. Many speakers had acted as observers during the recount as Cobb witnesses. Hearing their stories of four, eight, and even ten hour lines in the rain reminded us once again why we had to challenge this unfair voting process. more recount reports

The Cobb-LaMarche legal team went to the New Mexico Supreme Court on Monday to get the recount going in that state. A report will be filed here later today. A New Mexico trial court reaffirmed a decision by New Mexico's Democratic Governor Bill Richardson and two colleagues on the New Mexico State Canvassing Board to allow a recount of the state's presidential ballots, but only if David Cobb and other recount advocates paid $1.4 million by yesterday to cover recount costs. We did not pay the $1.4 million, and updates to this story will be posted here soon. Read the hearing transcript to get a better understanding of how Gov. Richardson and his colleagues view the recount.

On December 16, the Cobb-LaMarche legal team filed a Verified Petition for Mandamus; Verified Petition for Superintending Control or Prohibition; and Request for Immediate Hearing with the New Mexico Supreme Court. The Petition and Supplement detail the reasons why the New Mexico recount should proceed. A hearing is expected today (Monday).

"There's tremendous grassroots support for the recount and for verifying the accuracy of our voting system. We have 800 volunteers who are ready to jump in and monitor the recount process," said Rick Lass, the New Mexico recount coordinator for the Cobb-LaMarche campaign. more

Tuesday, December 21, 2004

Eight days after the recount has started, almost all counties have completed their recounts — at least, in their opinion. But the Ohio Recount effort is far from over. Please visit our new County Reports file to see the true stories of the recount. For example:

Hamilton County: Approximately 400 provisional ballots allegedly were rejected because they were cast in the wrong precinct, despite the fact that they were cast at the right polling station (i.e., at a polling station with more than one precinct).
Fairfield County: When the hand recount of the 3% test sample did not match the official vote totals, a full recount should have been ordered for all county ballots. Instead, the recount was "suspended" by county officials who said that Secretary Blackwell recommended that the recount should begin again "from scratch." The Green recount observers then were told that it was 4:00 PM, the building was closed, and all had to leave. The Republican contingent, however was allowed to stay in a conference room for an additional ten minutes or so for a private discussion.
Belmont County and Summit County: Recount witnesses were threatened with expulsion if they spoke to counting teams. In some instances, they were expected to "observe" from up to 20 feet away, despite Ohio Election Law allowing observers to be close enough to actually observe.
Medina County: Election officials were aware of several "problem" districts, but instead chose to perform the manual 3% test recount on two precincts that had been part of a School Levy Recount the previous Monday. That meant that those ballots had been taken out of the standard "double lock" situation and had been handled several times since Monday.
Huron County: The punchcard tabulator test was observed only by Republican witnesses. This test was conducted the day before the Green witness was invited to observe the recount.

Meanwhile, the New Mexico Supreme Court heard a motion yesterday by the Green Party and others to start the recount. We'll update that story later today. Meanwhile, you can read the December 16 Verified Petition for Mandamus and the Supplement, which detail the reasons why the New Mexico recount should proceed.

Meanwhile, over in the Ohio Federal District Court, the Affidavit of Sherole Eaton, Deputy Director of the Hocking County Board of Elections, was filed in court, along with an Affidavit from Computer Science professor Douglas Jones. These documents, which describe actions that might constitute vote tampering, were first described by David Cobb in a speech to the Dec. 13th hearing convened in Columbus by Rep. Conyers and others. Rep. Conyers mentioned the Cobb testimony with approval in his formal letter to the FBI and Hocking County prosecutor.

At long last, the Franklin County Board of Elections held a hearing on December 16 to receive testimony from voters about their experiences on Election Day.

Amy Kaplan, our Franklin County Recount Coordinator, challenged the Board for not taking advantage of the recount process to restore her faith in the integrity of the system. She went through a long list of requests that she and the Cobb campaign had made in order to have a meaningful recount, especially regarding the DRE machines. All such requests were denied.

The Cobb-LaMarche legal team went to the New Mexico Supreme Court yesterday to get the recount going in that state. A report will be filed here later today. A New Mexico trial court reaffirmed a decision by New Mexico's Democratic Governor Bill Richardson and two colleagues on the New Mexico State Canvassing Board to allow a recount of the state's presidential ballots, but only if David Cobb and other recount advocates paid $1.4 million by yesterday to cover recount costs. We did not pay the $1.4 million, and updates to this story will be posted here soon. Read the hearing transcript to get a better understanding of how Gov. Richardson and his colleagues view the recount.

Monday, December 20, 2004

Defiance County held their recount yesterday, and Trumbull County, with the latest start date of the 88 counties, begins their recount today. Fairfield County reconvened on Saturday to do a hand recount of the 3% with a new machine (the same situation Monroe County faced on Tuesday). As the reports of our county observers and coordinators come in, a pattern is emerging: very few of the counties conducted recounts that could be called "random" in the statistical sense. All reports can be found in the press release archive. Donations are welcome to help defray the substantial costs of this effort.

Meanwhile, the action shifts over to New Mexico today, where the state Supreme Court will be hearing a motion by the Green Party and others to start the recount. Citizen activists held a rally at the New Mexico state Capitol yesterday at noon in support of the recount. On December 16, the Cobb-LaMarche legal team filed a Verified Petition for Mandamus; Verified Petition for Superintending Control or Prohibition; and Request for Immediate Hearing with the New Mexico Supreme Court. The Petition and Supplement detail the reasons why the New Mexico recount should proceed.

On December 7, 2004, our Ohio attorneys sent a letter via facsimile and via overnight mail, on our behalf, to Secretary Blackwell outlining a series of issues relating to his Outline of Recount Procedures as posted on his official website. We stated in the letter that "resolution of these issues is necessary in order to ensure that the recount is conducted uniformly in the various county boards of election and in accordance with state and federal law."

The Cobb-LaMarche legal team is going to the New Mexico Supreme Court today to get the recount going in that state. A New Mexico trial court reaffirmed a decision by New Mexico's Democratic Governor Bill Richardson and two colleagues on the New Mexico State Canvassing Board to allow a recount of the state's presidential ballots, but only if David Cobb and other recount advocates paid $1.4 million by yesterday to cover recount costs. We did not pay the $1.4 million, and updates to this story will be posted here soon. Read the hearing transcript to get a better understanding of how Gov. Richardson and his colleagues view the recount.

Sunday, December 19, 2004

As the reports of our county observers and coordinators come in, a pattern is emerging: very few of the counties conducted recounts that could be called "random" in the statistical sense. Each county was different, with some choosing test precincts for convenience, others for reasons known only to the Board of Elections. Defiance County held their recount yesterday, and Trumbull County has the last scheduled recount start date: tomorrow, December 20th. Fairfield County reconvened yesterday to do a hand recount of the 3% with a new machine (the same situation Monroe County faced on Tuesday). All reports can be found in the press release archive. Donations are welcome to help defray the substantial costs of this effort.

Meanwhile, the action shifts over to New Mexico today, where Citizen activists will be converging on the New Mexico state Capitol at noon, in support of the recount. The rally will include speeches by Paul Christie of PACE, a New Mexico nonprofit organization, and Rick Lass for the Cobb campaign. The rally is co-sponsored by the Green Parties of Taos and Santa Fe, Veterans for Peace Santa Fe Chapter 55, and Verified Voting New Mexico. Over eight hundred citizen activists have volunteered to observe the recount, nearly two hundred of whom have attended training sessions in the last week. more

At long last, the Franklin County Board of Elections held a hearing on December 16 to receive testimony from voters about their experiences on Election Day.

We are still looking for donations to pay for recount expenses, such as renting halls for training and printing up volunteer manuals, so please give what you can. We get reports from our coordinators as soon as they are able to get to a computer and type up their notes (and after they have recovered from their experience). We'll get them up on the website as soon as we can after that. We expect being able to analyze and update our information over the weekend, since only Defiance County is scheduled to count on Saturday. Trumbull County has the last scheduled recount start date of December 20th.

Citizen activists will be converging on the New Mexico state Capitol at noon today (Sunday), in support of the recount. The rally will include speeches by Paul Christie of PACE, a New Mexico nonprofit organization, and Rick Lass for the Cobb campaign. The rally is co-sponsored by the Green Parties of Taos and Santa Fe, Veterans for Peace Santa Fe Chapter 55, and Verified Voting New Mexico. Over eight hundred citizen activists have volunteered to observe the recount, nearly two hundred of whom have attended training sessions in the last week. more

The Cobb-LaMarche legal team is continuing to weigh its options after a New Mexico court reaffirmed a decision by New Mexico's Democratic Governor Bill Richardson and two colleagues on the New Mexico State Canvassing Board to allow a recount of the state's presidential ballots, but only if David Cobb and other recount advocates paid $1.4 million by yesterday to cover recount costs. We did not pay the $1.4 million, and updates to this story will be posted here soon. Read the hearing transcript to get a better understanding of how Gov. Richardson and his colleagues view the recount.

Saturday, December 18, 2004

Defiance County is scheduled to recount today, and Trumbull County has the last scheduled recount start date: on Monday, December 20th. Yesterday, Day Five of the Ohio Recount, nine counties started recounts, and again we heard tales of ballot prepping (to allow the hand count and the machine count to match) and more tales of not-so-random selection of voting precincts. We also completed dozens more recounts, and our Observers and Coodinators are writing up their reports. As soon as we receive them, they will be posted here on our website.

Fairfield County reconvenes today (Saturday) to do a hand recount of the 3% with a new machine (the same situation Monroe County faced on Tuesday). All reports can be found in the press release archive

Friday, December 17, 2004

Day Four of the Ohio Recount brought more tales of ballot prepping (to allow the hand count and the machine count to match) and more tales of not-so-random selection of voting precincts. Observers are taking copious notes, and we are posting initial reports by Coordinators and Observers as they come in. Take a moment to read about Fairfield County, which will reconvene on Saturday to do a hand recount of the 3% with a new machine (the same situation Monroe County faced on Tuesday). Nine more counties will begin their counts on Friday, with Defiance County scheduled for Saturday and Trumbull County for Monday. All reports can be found in the press release archive

Thursday, December 16, 2004

Another fifteen counties are starting their recounts today, including Cuyahoga where volunteers and attorneys have done a lot of research and planning for this massive undertaking. We submitted a list of over 300 Cobb/LaMarche volunteer observers; Cuyahoga was the only county that required this information by noon the day before. Several counties are continuing their third day of counts, such as Hamilton, Clermont and Lucas. Some coordinators received so much resistance or attitude in advance of the recount, such as in Allen County, that they put their issues and concerns in writing.

The recount started on December 13th in mostly smaller counties where there hadn't been too many reported problems. We've posted initial reports from coordinators and observers in Lake, Medina, Holmes and Jefferson. Tuesday saw an additional twenty-one counties starting their recounts and far more tales of problems. Coshocton decided on their own to do a full hand recount, not just a sample 3%. In Monroe County, the hand and computer counts didn't match, so they reconvened the next morning, at the same time that thirty-one other counties were beginning their recounts. The recount observers in Portage County had a positive experience, while those in several other counties reported on the tense nature of the proceedings. We are starting to track patterns, including the 3% hand recount of whole precincts not being randomly chosen as the law states it should be. Some counties are more open to observers asking questions, while others — like Lucas County — circulated a memo that threatened expulsion if observers talked to the counting teams. Summit County volunteers were told they would have to stand three to four feet away, with one staff member drawing a line on the floor with tape. Another Summit volunteer was threatened with removal from the premises if her lips moved.

Among the problems identified so far in Ohio recounts was the careful pre-selection of a precinct in Medina County that would not have voting anomalies, so that the initial "3% recount" mandated by Ohio law would not return a mismatch between the initial tally and the recount. Precincts that Cobb-LaMarche recount witnesses wanted to tabulate by hand could not be tabulated, because the law allows 100% machine recount once the 3% initial hand recount happens without counting irregularities. Many observers are reporting this same problem in other counties: random doesn't always mean random. Election observers in Washington County are organizing an affidavit drive of all the observers who opened the recount in their respective counties.

The Cobb-LaMarche legal team is weighing its options after a New Mexico court yesterday reaffirmed a decision by New Mexico's Democratic Governor Bill Richardson and two colleagues on the New Mexico State Canvassing Board to allow a recount of the state's presidential ballots, but only if David Cobb and other recount advocates pay $1.4 million by today to cover recount costs. Updates to this story will be posted here later today.

The New York Times, Washington Post, and other mainstream newspapers of record carried articles yesterday on aspects of the Ohio recount and voting "irregularities." The story about the Triad voting machine technician "replacing the machine's battery" before the recount began, which David Cobb broke to the media at the Judiciary Committee hearing held in Ohio on December 13, has resulted in quotes from Rep. Conyers, a Triad representative, and the naming of the Hocking County elections official who witnessed the technician's actions. see videos

Protests in Ohio and around the country to the outrageous "irregularities" that happened on Election Day are highlighted on our Photos of Patriots page.

Wednesday, December 15, 2004

County recount witnesses started filing reports. Among the problems identified so far in Ohio recounts was the careful pre-selection of a precinct in Medina County that would not have voting anomalies, so that the initial "3% recount" mandated by Ohio law would not return a mismatch between the initial tally and the recount. Precincts that Cobb-LaMarche recount witnesses wanted to tabulate by hand could not, because the law allows 100% machine recount once the 3% initial hand recount happens without counting irregularities.

We'll have more to say about the DRE (Direct Recording Electronic) voting machines, which have no voter-verified paper trail. David Cobb was in Franklin County yesterday to help witness the recount of the DRE machines there. For more information on DRE voting machines, see the Frequently Asked Questions page of the VerifiedVoting.org website.

The Albuquerque Journal reports that Democratic Governor Bill Richardson and two colleagues on the New Mexico State Canvassing Board yesterday agreed to a recount of the state's presidential ballots, but only if David Cobb and other recount advocates pay $1.4 million by Thursday to cover recount costs.

Lawyers for the Cobb-LaMarsh campaign and the other recount seekers are in court this morning (Wednesday) to seek to allow the recount to proceed without the high price tag. Recount backers seek to verify the accuracy and credibility of New Mexico's voting systems, and have raised concerns about touch screen voting machines and the so-called "undervote."

The New York Times, Washington Post, and other mainstream newspapers of record carry articles today on aspects of the Ohio recount and voting "irregularities." The story about the Triad voting machine technician "replacing the machine's battery" before the recount began, which David Cobb broke to the media at the Judiciary Committee hearing held in Ohio on December 13, has resulted in quotes from Rep. Conyers, a Triad representative, and the naming of the Hocking County elections official who witnessed the technician's actions.

Protests in Ohio and around the country to the outrageous "irregularities" that happened on Election Day are highlighted on our Photos of Patriots page.

The latest development is that Rep. Conyers has called for 1 million emails to Congress to ask for a formal Judiciary Committee hearing, complete with the subpoena power that only the GOP majority can provide. Please send your emails to your Congressman and Senators today, and tell your friends to email as well.

Tuesday, December 14, 2004

Rep. John Conyers, who is leading the Congressional investigations in Ohio, needs your help now. He is asking for one million emails from the American public demanding that the House Judiciary Committee hold full hearings on the 2004 Election.

Full hearings are essential, because that will give the Committee subpoena powers — until now, Blackwell and others have been able to simply ignore Rep. Conyers' demands for information — because the GOP Committee Chairman has refused to convene a full hearing. YOU can change that. Tell a friend to write an email, too.

The recount started in eight of Ohio's 88 counties yesterday, with the biggest recounts still to come. Meanwhile, Green recount demands were heard in the New Mexico courts, and protesters from Maine to California came out in dozens of protests yesterday to raise their voices against the Electoral College meeting that took place in Columbus. People from across the political spectrum and from inside and outside Ohio objected to the unfairness of certifying Ohio's 20 Electoral Votes for George Bush when the recount had barely begun. Earlier today, CASE Ohio held a rally in front of the Ohio Governor's Office.

Yesterday, Congresswoman Stephanie Tubbs Jones along with Judiciary Committee Ranking Member John Conyers, Reps. Maxine Waters and Ted Strickland, and the Rev. Jesse Jackson held a forum addressing Voting Irregularities in Ohio at the Columbus City Hall. David Cobb and other witnesses gave testimony about alleged machine tampering by voting machine employees that is being further investigated by the committee.

In New Mexico yesterday, Judge Carol Vigil affirmed Green Party presidential candidate David Cobb's right to a recount of the presidential vote in New Mexico, but the Judge declined to order the state canvassing board to begin the recount immediately. "There's tremendous grassroots support for the recount and for verifying the accuracy of our voting system. We have 800 volunteers who are ready to jump in and monitor the recount process," said Rick Lass, the New Mexico recount coordinator for the Cobb-LaMarche campaign. more

Today is the big day for DRE (Direct Recording Electronic) voting machines, with Franklin County (515, 472 votes) and Mahoning County (131, 938 votes) as well as Pickaway and Ross Counties starting recounts of ....what exactly? DREs have no voter-verified paper trail. David Cobb will be there to help witness the recount of the DRE machines in Franklin County. For more information on DRE voting machines, see the Frequently Asked Questions page of the VerifiedVoting.org website.

While machines with no verifiable paper trail are a problem, the other problem is the procedures used to count ballots that are verifiable. Under Ohio election law, the key issue is whether ANY discrepancy is found in vote totals during the initial manual recount. Some county election officials already have determined which ballots they want to recount, thus removing the element of "randomness" from the recount. Here's what Section 3515 of the Ohio Revised Code says about the recount process:

The board must randomly select whole precincts whose total equals at least 3% of the total vote, and must manually count.
If the tabulator count does not match the hand count, and after rechecking the manual count the results are still not equal, all ballots must be hand counted. If the results of the tabulator count and the hand counted ballots are equal, the remainder of the ballots may be processed through the tabulator (for optical scan and punchcards).

Monday, December 13, 2004

Hundreds of volunteers sat in church halls and fire stations, coffee houses and living rooms yesterday (Sunday, 12/12) to learn how to participate in the recount as Cobb/LaMarche witnesses. Many were struck for the first time about how difficult a meaningful recount of DRE (Direct Electronic Recording) machines with no paper trails would be.

Others were concerned about reports of County Boards of Elections (BOEs) having already determined which precincts would be hand counted, since Section 3515 of the Ohio Revised Code very specifically states that "The board must randomly select whole precincts whose total equals at least 3% of the total vote, and must manually count." Note that the dictionary definition of "random" is "[adj] lacking any definite plan or order or purpose."

Eight counties start their recounts today: Clinton County at 7:00 am, Lake County at 9:00 am, Medina County at 9:00 am, Ottowa Count at 9:30 am, Wood County at 9:30 am, Jefferson County at 10:00 am, Holmes County at 1:00 pm, Fayette County at 3:00 pm. We are still looking for donations to pay for recount expenses, such as renting halls for training and printing up volunteer manuals, so please give what you can.

Protests took place over the weekend across the country. Today, protesters will gather outside the Ohio State Capitol from 11:00 am to 1:00 pm to demonstrate their outrage that Ohio's electors will cast their votes on the day the recount finally begins.

Tomorrow, Tuesday Dec. 14, CASE Ohio is calling for a rally in front of the Ohio Governor's Office at 11:00 AM.

To see a list of protest activities taking place in your state, check with your local Green Party organization, or these sites: www.51capitalmarch.com, www.Nov3.US, or www.denvervoice.org.

David Cobb, in a public statement released yesterday, said: "It is absolutely outrageous and irresponsible for the Ohio and New Mexico presidential electors to cast their Electoral College votes on December 13th when the outcome of recounts are still unknown. Just as in Florida in 2000, we have to question the integrity of our voting system and those partisan officials who are in charge of it. With allegations of voter intimidation and suppression looming, an impending Congressional investigation, and recounts just beginning, the presidential electors will cast their votes under a cloud of suspicion."

Today also brings lots of activity to Columbus, Ohio. Congresswoman Stephanie Tubbs Jones along with Judiciary Committee Ranking Member John Conyers, Reps. Maxine Waters and Ted Strickland, and the Rev. Jesse Jackson will hold a forum addressing Voting Irregularities in Ohio. This will take place at Columbus City Hall, Columbus City Council Chambers, 90 West Broad Street, Columbus. David Cobb will be speaking there. Note that Republicans refused to let this Congressional delegation use the State Capitol for this important hearing.

Some questions have been raised as to how long the recount will last. The key issue is whether ANY discrepancy is found in vote totals during the initial manual recount. The other big issue is whether county election officials already have determined which ballots they want to recount, thus removing the element of "randomness" from the recount. Here's what Section 3515 of the Ohio Revised Code says about the recount process:

The board must randomly select whole precincts whose total equals at least 3% of the total vote, and must manually count.
If the tabulator count does not match the hand count, and after rechecking the manual count the results are still not equal, all ballots must be hand counted. If the results of the tabulator count and the hand counted ballots are equal, the remainder of the ballots may be processed through the tabulator (for optical scan and punchcards).

Tomorrow, December 14th is the big day for DRE (Direct Recording Electronic) voting machines, with Franklin County (515, 472 votes) and Mahoning County (131, 938 votes) as well as Pickaway and Ross Counties starting recounts of ....what exactly? DREs have no voter-verified paper trail. David Cobb will be there to help witness the recount of the DRE machines in Franklin County. For more information on DRE voting machines, see the Frequently Asked Questions page of the VerifiedVoting.org website.

Sunday, December 12, 2004

There will be a rally today at the Statehouse in Columbus from 12:00 to 2:00 pm. It is not being organized by the Cobb-LaMarche campaign, but Campaign Manager Lynne Serpe and other members of our team will be there.

We are now up to eight counties starting their recounts on Monday: Clinton County at 7:00 am, Lake County at 9:00 am, Medina County at 9:00 am, Ottowa Count at 9:30 am, Wood County at 9:30 am, Jefferson County at 10:00 am, Holmes County at 1:00 pm, Fayette County at 3:00 pm. We are still looking for donations to pay for recount expenses, such as renting halls for training and printing up volunteer manuals, so please give what you can.

To see a list of protest activities taking place in your state, check with your local Green Party organization, or these sites: www.51capitalmarch.com, www.denvervoice.org, or www.Nov3.US.

David Cobb will address the crowd at the Ohio State Capitol on Monday around 12:15 pm with a message he released as a public statement yesterday: "It is absolutely outrageous and irresponsible for the Ohio and New Mexico presidential electors to cast their Electoral College votes on December 13th when the outcome of recounts are still unknown. Just as in Florida in 2000, we have to question the integrity of our voting system and those partisan officials who are in charge of it. With allegations of voter intimidation and suppression looming, an impending Congressional investigation, and recounts just beginning, the presidential electors will cast their votes under a cloud of suspicion."

Monday, December 13th also brings lots of activity to Columbus, Ohio. Congresswoman Stephanie Tubbs Jones along with Judiciary Committee Ranking Member John Conyers, Reps. Maxine Waters and Ted Strickland, and the Rev. Jesse Jackson will hold a forum addressing Voting Irregularities in Ohio. This will take place at Columbus City Hall, Columbus City Council Chambers, 90 West Broad Street, Columbus.

Some questions have been raised as to how long the recount will last. The key issue is whether ANY discrepancy is found in vote totals during the initial manual recount. Here's what Section 3515 of the Ohio Revised Code says about the recount process:

The board must randomly select whole precincts whose total equals at least 3% of the total vote, and must manually count.
If the tabulator count does not match the hand count, and after rechecking the manual count the results are still not equal, all ballots must be hand counted. If the results of the tabulator count and the hand counted ballots are equal, the remainder of the ballots may be processed through the tabulator (for optical scan and punchcards).

Tuesday, December 14th is the big day for DRE (Direct Recording Electronic) voting machines, with Franklin County (515, 472 votes) and Mahoning County (131, 938 votes) as well as Pickaway and Ross Counties starting recounts of ....what exactly? DREs have no voter-verified paper trail. David Cobb will be there to help witness the recount of the DRE machines in Franklin County. For more information on DRE voting machines, see the Frequently Asked Questions page of the VerifiedVoting.org website.

Saturday, December 11, 2004

Friday was a very busy day, because most of the Ohio county Boards of Elections were finally answering the questions about procedures and start times posed by our Regional and County Coordinators. With 88 counties to recount, it seems like there are 50 different start times. For example, on Monday the 13th, there are counties starting the recount at 7 am, 9 am, 9:30 am, 10 am, 1 pm, and 3 pm.

We have dozens of trainings taking place this weekend, and we expect supporters from Oregon, California, Michigan, Minnesota, Illinois, Pennsylvania, New York, Connecticut, Kentucky, West Virginia to start flooding into the state for protest activities on Sunday and Monday. We are still looking for donations to pay for recount expenses, such as renting halls for training and printing up volunteer manuals, so please give what you can.

Protests are planned across the nation this weekend. On Monday, December 13, protesters will gather outside the Ohio State Capitol from 11:00 am to 1:00 pm to demonstrate their outrage that Ohio's electors will cast their votes on the day the recount finally begins. To see a list of protest activities taking place in your state, check with your local Green Party organization, or these sites: www.51capitalmarch.com, www.denvervoice.org, or www.Nov3.US.

Tuesday, December 14th is the big day for DRE (Direct Recording Electronic) voting machines, with Franklin County (515, 472 votes) and Mahoning County (131, 938 votes) as well as Pickaway and Ross Counties starting recounts of ....what exactly? DREs have no voter-verified paper trail. For more information on DRE voting machines, see the Frequently Asked Questions page of the VerifiedVoting.org website.

Friday, December 10, 2004

Our Regional and County Coordinators have been busy trying to get information from their local Board of Elections these last few days since the recount was re-filed. Each county has a different start date and time, with just four counties so far saying they will begin on December 13th and the bulk beginning on December 15th. There are over two dozen trainings happening around the state this weekend. We are still looking for donations to pay for recount expenses, such as renting halls for training and printing up volunteer manuals, so please give what you can.

We are working hard to ensure that every vote is counted because the integrity of our voting system is at stake. We are working smart to keep that cost below a nickel per vote cast.

Many groups, including the Green Party, are planning protest activities all across the country for December 13th, when the Ohio Electors (and the D.C. and other 49 state Electors) meet to cast ballots as part of the Electoral College process. Given that the vote total is being disputed and recounted, how can the Electors cast their ballots for George Bush — or any candidate — until the recount is completed? David Cobb will join recount supporters in Columbus from noon to 1:00 pm on the 13th.

Thursday, December 9, 2004

Recount activities in Ohio are in full swing! Coordinating staff are being hired on the ground in Ohio, and volunteer training will begin soon. It looks like the 88 county recounts will begin on different days, either December 14, 15 or 16. We are still looking for donations to pay for recount expenses, so please give what you can.

Many groups, including the Green Party, are planning protest activities all across the country for December 13th, when the Ohio Electors (and D.C. and the other 49 state Electors) meet to cast ballots as part of the Electoral College process. Given that it was an unfair initial voting process which resulted in a vote total that is being disputed and recounted, how can the Electors cast their ballots for George Bush — or any candidate — until the recount is completed?

At yesterday's Congressional Forum in Washington on voting irregularities that was convened by Congressman John Conyers (D-MI), it was suggested that if the Ohio recount results in a Kerry victory, then a second set of Electors could be convened to send a vote to Congress, which will count the Electoral votes on January 6th. What might happen if two sets of Ohio Electoral votes show up in Congress is anyone's guess.

Wednesday, December 8, 2004

Mr. Cobb participated today in the formal hearings in Washington on voting irregularities that was convened by Congressman John Conyers (D-MI) and others on Capitol Hill.

The entire three-hour hearing was carried live on C-SPAN. During the forum today, Rep. Conyers announced that he will pursue further hearings in Ohio.

In his opening statement, Rep. Conyers asked us all to take the following actions in support of his efforts to investigate the 2004 election irregularities in Ohio:

Contact Secretary of State Blackwell [614-466-2655 or via email] and tell him you want him to answer our questions [that were asked in a December 3rd letter from the Judiciary Democratic Members to Blackwell]. As Chief Elections Officer in Ohio, he could be of tremendous service to us. I am disappointed that he is not here today.
Contact the Chairman of the House Judiciary Committee [James Sensenbrenner] and ask him to hold official Committee hearings about these matters, which are so vital to our democracy. [Rep. Conyers also asks that we be courteous; flaming and incivility don't help the cause.]
read the full statement [pdf]

David Cobb and others held a press conference yesterday in Columbus to announce their formal demand for a recount. Please donate today so that we can raise the $88,000 still needed to support the recount in all 88 counties. We are very grateful to the more than 3,200 volunteers and 6,000 donors (so far) who are making this recount happen. Thanks to every one of you for your faith in democracy. You are fantastic!

For more on today's Congressional Forum, see:

Judiciary Democratic Forum
Forum Participant List and Statements
12-08-04 news article: Forum Spotlighting Voting Issues
12-08-04 news article: Jesse Jackson: 2004 Election 'Ain't Over'
12-08-04 Op-ed in The Nation: Guarantee the Right to Vote
DailyKos.com blog discussion
TruthOut.com blog discussion
Pacifica streamed the Congressional Forum on Ohio Voting Irregularities live as it happened and will post the archived version whenit is available. Until then, check out other recent broadcasts at www.pacifica.org and www.kpfa.org, such as the Dec. 4 Forum on the Voter Controversy in Ohio.

Tuesday, December 7, 2004

David Cobb and others held a press conference at 2:00 pm today at the Drury Hotel in Columbus to announce their formal demand for a recount.

Formal letters and checks to cover the costs of filing had been sent to all 88 county election chairs on November 17th to give them as much time as possible to prepare, but some counties had returned the checks, saying that they required notice of a recount only after Secretary Blackwell formally certified the initial vote totals.

Ohio election law requires that Democrats, Republicans, and all other parties receive formal notice of the recount, so the recount won't start for at least four days and can start as late as nine days from now.

Today's press conference was attended by the Associated Press, Columbus Dispatch, Ohio Public Radio, Ohio Network News, ABC, Fox, and others.

Monday, December 6, 2004

Protesters during rally Saturday at Ohio statehouse in Columbus (Photo: AP)

Read the story in the Washington Post

Secretary of State Blackwell announced the formal certification of the results of the 2004 presidential election in Ohio at a short press conference held in Columbus at 3:30 pm today. He acknowledged that there were problems, glitches, and hiccups in the counting, and said he was willing to do a recount if formally requested pursuant to Ohio election law.

Our recount demand and bonds to the 88 counties in Ohio will be formally submitted tomorrow, Tuesday, December 7th. Our recount demands and bonds previously were sent to each county on November 17th, but many of them returned our materials, saying that the law does not allow for a filing before Secretary Blackwell certifies the results of the initial vote tally.

David Cobb is doing interviews with ABC and NBC today. Campaign manager Lynne Serpe had a short interview with CNN this morning which will be aired today. Mr. Cobb will be in Ohio on Tuesday, December 7th before and after the press conference at 2 pm, and then will fly to Washington to participate in the formal hearings on voting irregularities being convened by Congressman John Conyers (D-MI) and others on Capitol Hill on Wednesday.

Sunday, December 5, 2004

The silence of the national media is starting to break... The story of the historic protest on Saturday at the Statehouse in Columbus, Ohio has already been carried by ABC News, the Washington Post, CBS News, NBC News, the Chicago Sun-Times, the Toledo Blade (Ohio), the Canton Repository (Ohio), and many others, including even the New Zealand Herald. Hundreds of voters stood in the cold, as speaker after speaker articulated a passionate belief in democracy, where every vote counts and every vote is counted.

We expect the Secretary of State will finally certify the statewide results tomorrow. We fully anticipate well over a tenfold increase in our own write-in vote totals.

Saturday, December 4, 2004

Much of this week's activity took place in the courtroom, culminating in a victory for democracy when a federal judge ruled yesterday that the recount will go forward in all Ohio counties.

Today we took the cause for fair and accountable elections to the streets for a public rally on the Ohio Statehouse Lawn in Columbus, organized by CASE Ohio. Later, we participated in a symposium with Greg Palast (author of The Best Democracy Money Can Buy) at the Africentric Middle School, broadcast live by Pacifica Radio.

Today we also began training our 8 new Regional Coordinators. Once Blackwell finally certifies the election results on December 6th, the clock will start ticking. The recount should begin no later than December 16th, more likely by December 13th. We'll keep you posted.

Friday, December 3, 2004

Judge Edmund A. Sargus, Jr. will be hearing our case today at 2:30PM in the Joseph P. Kinneary U.S. Courthouse in Columbus, Ohio. Yesterday Cobb, Badnarik and the National Voting Rights Institute filed suit against Ohio Secretary of State Kenneth Blackwell, alleging that Blackwell is abusing his discretionary authority and is, in effect, stalling. see press release

Thursday, December 2, 2004

As recounts go forward in Ohio and New Mexico, the Cobb Campaign decides not to pursue a recount in Nevada because of unreasonable obstacles imposed by the Nevada Secretary of State. "The Nevada Secretary of State's office presented us with hefty bill and a ridiculous list of tasks to be completed in an unreasonably short period of time," said Cobb-LaMarche Media Director Blair Bobier. see press release

Wednesday, December 1, 2004

Every county in Ohio is to certify their county ballot by today's deadline. An interesting point to note: more than half the counties finished their counting and certified their results by November 19th, three days prior to our lawsuit requesting an expedited count. However, Secretary of State Blackwell's office has not yet told us when they will certify the state ballots. We can only go by media reports which list December 6th as certification day. Recounting should begin five days later, after all candidates have been advised of their right to send observers. The TRO (temporary restraining order, download in PDF format) filed against David Cobb, Michael Badnarik and our lawyers by Delaware County is set to expire at noon today. Yesterday, we filed successfully to have the case removed to federal district court.

Tuesday, November 30, 2004

Attorneys for Green Party presidential candidate David Cobb asked a federal court today to take jurisdiction of, and ultimately dissolve, a temporary restraining order issued by a Delaware County, Ohio judge attempting to prevent Cobb from seeking a recount of the presidential ballots cast in that county. Attorneys representing the Kerry-Edwards campaign filed papers in Delaware County, Ohio to intervene in legal proceedings in defense of Green Party presidential candidate David Cobb and Libertarian Michael Badnarik, who are seeking a recount of all votes cast for president in the Ohio 2004 general election.

Monday, November 29, 2004

Green party Presidential candidate David Cobb filed official requests for a recount in New Mexico and Nevada. As he did in Ohio, Cobb filed the requests jointly with Libertarian candidate Michael Badnarik. "The Green Party's dedication to protecting the integrity of the election process has led me to file for a recount in both New Mexico and Nevada. We want to ensure that every vote is counted and verify the accuracy of the electronic voting machines, particularly those which produce no paper trail," said David Cobb.

"It is absolutely critical that we verify the accuracy of electronic voting machines. Voting without independent checks and balances is a meaningless exercise. There is no reason why Americans should settle for second-best when it comes to protecting our democratic rights," said Cobb-LaMarche Media Director Blair Bobier.

The New Mexico presidential election was marred by reports of voter suppression and problems with electronic voting machines. In Nevada, the lack of paper trails or receipts for electronic voting machines is the primary concern. In an unrelated legal challenge, an election contest case will be heard today in Reno, Nevada, demanding a recount. The suit also seeks to address allegations that people employed by Sproul & Associates, an Arizona-based firm hired by the Republican National Committee, tore up and discarded voter registration forms completed by Democratic voters.

How money raised so far is being spent

Sunday, November 28

On Sunday, November 28, the Reverend Jesse Jackson spoke in Columbus, Ohio to publicly voice his support for the Ohio recount and other challenges to the controversial Ohio vote. For more information, read the press release. "Voter suppression and intimidation is a civil rights issue. Jesse Jackson is the perfect person to bring these concerns to a wider audience and we welcome his participation," said David Cobb, whose campaign has been leading the charge for the Ohio recount. Cobb has been joined in the recount demand by Libertarian candidate Michael Badnarik.

Tuesday, November 23

A federal district judge denied our request to expedite the recount process. Our legal team is considering our response to the ruling and our next course of action. If the ruling stands, the recount will proceed on the schedule dictated by the Ohio Secretary of State's office. Mr Blackwell is currently stating certification will not take place until December 6th.

Here is the press release describing the court proceedings. In the interest of full transparency, read the court documents yourself: the Motion [pdf] for a Temporary Retraining Order (TRO), Complaint [pdf] by the Green Party and others requesting the recount, and the Brief [pdf] supporting the request for a Preliminary Injunction.

David Cobb of the Green Party and Michael Badnarik of the Libertarian Party are represented by John Bonifaz, General Counsel of the National Voting Rights Institute, and Ohio attorney Nancy Holland Myers.

Thanks to the generosity of thousands of small donors coast-to-coast, we raised $250,000 toward the costs of the recount in only 11 days.

A November 17th Cobb-Badnarik letter to Ohio Secretary of State Blackwell said that the lack of a meaningful recount will violate Ohio recount law, as well as, "the rights under federal and state constitutional and statutory law of all Ohio citizens who cast a ballot for President on Election Day.... Immediate action is necessary so that the recount procedures may begin as soon as possible."

"This is consistent with our standing up for the right to vote and for each vote to be counted. What's the point of having a recount if it won't be completed in time? Everyone knows what happened in Florida in 2000 and no one wants to see that happen again," said Blair Bobier, Media Director for the Cobb-LaMarche campaign.

Press coverage in Ohio and around the nation has been growing steadily, as voters realize that the recount is moving forward. Local papers covering the story include the Cleveland Plain Dealer and the Toledo Blade. National coverage has been seen in papers all across the nation: Los Angeles (the Los Angeles Times), Philadelphia (the Philadelphia Inquirer), and northwest Alabama (the Times Daily).

Thanks to the generosity of thousands of small donors coast-to-coast, we raised $250,000 toward the costs of the recount. $113,600 has gone out the door already to pay the State of Ohio for the recount costs, and we now have staff on the ground in Ohio. We’ll be mobilizing thousands of volunteers to observe the hand recount in all 88 counties.

We still need volunteers to come to Ohio for the next few weeks to make this recount happen. Students, seniors, anyone with vacation time — you all are welcome. All political parties and independents are welcome. Anyone who wants to preserve democracy in America is welcome. See you there!

Friday, November 19, 2004

The battle has been joined! Secretary Blackwell's office has responded to the formal request our attorneys made on November 17th to have each of the 88 county election directors prepare now for the recount so that there is time for a meaningful recount before the Ohio Electoral College electors meet on December 13th. The next step? Our attorneys are drafting a reply to Blackwell's November 19 letter, and we are continuing to raise funds to train volunteers and pay for expenses in this fast-approaching recount process. Staff are on the ground in Ohio and, with your help, we will be ready for the recount!

Read the November 19th letter [pdf] from the Ohio Secretary of State's Office in response to our November 17th formal letter demanding a recount.

Wednesday, November 17, 2004

On November 11th, we were faced with the problem of raising $150,000 immediately.

Read our November 17th formal letter to Elections Directors demanding a recount.

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