Cobb, Badnarik, Ohio, New Mexico, and Nevada

[Will F.D. People]

After taking a stroll through ohvotesuppression.blogspot.com, I have come to the conclusion that the people behind the site are idiots, but not total idiots.

I actually agree with them that a system where there are different standards in different counties for accepting provisional ballots is a problem. If Bush and Kerry were 130 votes apart instead of 130,000, I can envision being upset if highly partisan counties were going to great lengths to let in as many questionable provisional votes as possible.

However, some of the things on the web site are just laughable for their stupidity. For instance, the site shrills about how in one county, the provisional count is 11 percent off from the non-provisional count, the highest difference in the state! This must be looked into! But if you look at the numbers you see that the county had on the order of 100 provisional ballots. It is hard to see a major discrepancy when all it would take to correct it would be a handful more people voting provisionally or a smaller handful changing their mind.

The site also is alarmed that a county reports the exact same number of provisional votes for Bush and for Kerry -- one of two such counties where this happened! I say that the election was close, which means the candidates get about the same number of votes, so what is so unusual about a tie among a small sample of voters?

I think the loonies hurt their cause by using a shotgun approach to question the election when many of their complaints just don't hold water. This casts doubt on their legitimate points. I think it would be better for them to focus on one issue, like standards for accepting provisional ballots. In Ohio's case, where the outcome of the election is not in doubt, a reasoned discussion after the election with an eye to improved election law should be the goal.