2004 Ballot Recount: Observer Report
- December 15, 2004:
Report by Green Party Observers
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"The sample precinct was not chosen at random, but was was pre-selected." "A total of seven Diebold tabulators were used and a test run was done on three of them. We requested that the other four machines have a test run done and this was denied." "In the morning, Brandon [the Diebold technician] informed K that he could not stand behind the tables holding the tabulators while the recount was being conducted because this was a "security issue" as the discs with the election results were behind the tables." "Another obsever, Cathy from the Democrats, reported she had seen Brandon the day before alone with the tabulators testing the machines." "We found seven ballots that were cast in the correct polling station, but incorrect precinct and were disqualified." — Green Party Observer |
December 15, 2004:
Report by Green Party Observers
Submitted by M and K, observers for the Green Party.
The Board of Elections first held a meeting during which the group rejected, with little discussion, requests by the VoterWatch group offering pro bono ballot recount assistance and procedural suggestions offered by the Cobb and Kerry campaigns.
The sample precinct was not chosen at random, but was was pre-selected. The reason given was that it represented a diverse sampling of the voters in the county.
A total of seven Diebold tabulators were used and a test run was done on three of them. We requested that the other four machines have a test run done and this was denied. The sample precinct hand count matched the machine count.
A Diebold technician, Brandon, was present the whole day. In the morning, Brandon informed K that he could not stand behind the tables holding the tabulators while the recount was being conducted because this was a "security issue" as the discs with the election results were behind the tables. Brandon said that everyone is so concerned about security so he has to keep us away from the discs. Brandon left the room (leaving the discs unattended) and brought with him Anne Boston, (Hardin County, BOE Director) who informed everyone that the observers were not allowed behind the tables because it is a safety issue with all the cords from the counting machines.
At one point however, another observer was allowed behind the tables. Brandon also took an active role in giving instruction to the observers, e.g. not to touch poll books. Another obsever, Cathy from the Democrats, reported she had seen Brandon the day before alone with the tabulators testing the machines.
We asked to conduct a tally of a whole precinct as it was fed through one of the untested tabulators (which Ann Boston referred to as "chicken scratch" and indicated this should not pose a problem if the board agreed.) One of the board members became upset at our request, saying that it was repeating what was already done with the sample three percent count, in essence making the sample six percent.
Eventually we were allowed to do this, but it ended up being on one of the three tested machines. Two of us conducted a hand tally while each ballot was fed through the tabulator and each vote read to us while one observer also visually inspected each ballot. Our results matched the machine results.
We asked and were given access to the provisional voting records. We found seven ballots that were cast in the correct polling station, but incorrect precinct and were disqualified. Anne Boston told a few of the observers that some election officials "cut corners" that they should not be doing in not verifying if a voter is casting their ballot in the correct precinct.
The recount was completed at 4:30PM.