More Than 300,000 Ohio Votes Remain Uncounted

[krome2ez]

Week later,

more than 300,000 Ohio votes remain uncounted

November 13, 2012 | 2:13 pm

Byron York

Chief Political Correspondent

The Washington Examiner

The presidential election results in Ohio were close: According to still-unofficial figures from the Secretary of State, Barack Obama won the state with 2,690,841 votes to Mitt Romney’s 2,583,582 votes — a winning margin of 107,259 votes for the president. In percentage terms, that is 50.18 percent of the vote for Obama, and 48.18 percent for Romney.

But those numbers will change. Remember when, before the election, many observers discussed the possibility the results could be decided by the large number of provisional ballots that might be cast in Ohio? Well, those provisional ballots were cast, and they have not yet been counted. Neither have a significant number of absentee ballots. Together, the number of uncounted ballots is larger than Obama’s margin of victory.

According to the Secretary of State, there are 204,927 uncounted provisional ballots and 119,535 absentee ballots, for a total of 324,462 ballots. That is roughly three times the president’s 107,259-vote winning margin.

“The official canvass starts on the 17th of this month,” says Matt McClellan, a spokesman for the Ohio Secretary of State. “There will be no updated numbers until the counties have certified their results, which could be as late as the 27th.” That means no provisional or absentee ballots will be counted until at least the 17th, and no announcements until days after that. In fact, some absentee ballots are still being received; Ohio law says they will be counted if they arrive by November 16, as long as they were postmarked by November 5.

Not all provisional or absentee ballots will be counted. They are subject to challenge and often contain mistakes made by voters or poll workers. In 2008, Ohio issue 206,859 provisional ballots, and in the end 166,870 were counted. If that rate were to hold this year, that would mean the same number of provisional ballots, about 165,000, will be added to the vote totals.

As for absentee ballots, in 2008 the state issued a total of 1,744,753 of them, and 1,717,256 were counted — a fairly high percentage of valid ballots.

So this year, if the number of outstanding ballots is greater than Obama’s victory margin, it is at least theoretically possible that the Ohio results could change. A look at the location of those outstanding ballots, however, suggests the outcome will stay the same.

The largest number of outstanding ballots, about 60,000, is in Cuyahoga County, which Obama won by 69 percent to 30 percent. Another 49,000 ballots are out in Franklin County, which went for Obama 60 percent to 38 percent. In Hamilton County, which Obama won by 52 percent to 47 percent, there are about 25,000 outstanding ballots.

Romney-friendly counties have fewer outstanding votes. Butler County, for example, which Romney won 62 percent to 36 percent, has about 9,000 provisional and absentee ballots. Clermont County, which Romney won 67 percent to 31 percent, has about 4,000 outstanding ballots. Licking County, which Romney won 56 percent to 42 percent, has about 5,000 outstanding ballots. There do not appear to be enough outstanding ballots in pro-Romney places for Romney to make significant progress in the final count, and in the end Obama’s lead might actually increase.

You can check the numbers for county-by-county turnout as well as absentee and provisional ballots here and here.

Link

Link

http://washingtonexaminer.com/week-later-more-than-300000-ohio-votes-remain-uncounted/article/2513354#.UKMoUIXgK8q

Edited November 15, 2012 by krome2ez

[RodandStaff]

Yeah Krome.. and I wonder, oh I wonder.. who is gonna count those votes??? Or will they just disappear into some giant black hole somewhere? You know... the same place where the men and woman of the Military's votes went!!! And they wonder why people are talking of seceding? That may be the only way to get any justice around here obviously!!!

Oh but I forget.... This is the White House's response to anyone wishing to secede!

Link: http://www.capitalis...-petition-

...There goes free speech for anyone willing to accuse of a possible wrong doing!!!

[cajunrescuemedic]

It really doesn't matter since the presidential election is decided by the electorial college and not the popular vote. The electorial college has already voted and they voted Obama back in. So Ohio can count and recount until they're blue in the face, but that won't change anything.

[Shabibilicious]

Math skills have never been our strong suit in the Buckeye state.

GO RV, then BV

[ddl]

Actually the electoral college has not voted yet. They won't vote until December 17th this year.

"3 U.S.C. § 7 : US Code - Section 7: Meeting and vote of electors

The electors of President and Vice President of each State shall

meet and give their votes on the first Monday after the second

Wednesday in December next following their appointment at such

place in each State as the legislature of such State shall direct."

The states can still certify their final results which directs the electors in their voting. And despite the will of the people by their vote, not all electors are legally bound by the popular voting in their states.

[krome2ez]

It really doesn't matter since the presidential election is decided by the electorial college and not the popular vote. The electorial college has already voted and they voted Obama back in. So Ohio can count and recount until they're blue in the face, but that won't change anything.

Obviously you don't understand how the system works.

The winner of the popular vote in the state, wins the electoral vote.

The difference in the count is enough to change who won Ohio,

thus winning Ohio's electoral votes.

That's the way it's supposed to work, anyway.

[ddl]

No Legal Requirement

Electors in these States are not bound by State Law to cast their vote for a specific candidate:

ARIZONA - 10 Electoral Votes

ARKANSAS - 6 Electoral Votes

DELAWARE - 3 Electoral Votes

GEORGIA - 15 Electoral Votes

IDAHO - 4 Electoral Votes

ILLINOIS - 21 Electoral Votes

INDIANA - 11 Electoral Votes

IOWA - 7 Electoral Votes

KANSAS - 6 Electoral Votes

KENTUCKY - 8 Electoral Votes

LOUISIANA - 9 Electoral Votes

MINNESOTA - 10 Electoral Votes

MISSOURI - 11 Electoral Votes

NEW HAMPSHIRE - 4 Electoral Votes

NEW JERSEY - 15 Electoral Votes

NEW YORK - 31 Electoral Votes

NORTH DAKOTA - 3 Electoral Votes

PENNSYLVANIA - 21 Electoral Votes

RHODE ISLAND - 4 Electoral Votes

SOUTH DAKOTA - 3 Electoral Votes

TENNESSEE - 11 Electoral Votes

TEXAS - 34 Electoral Votes

UTAH - 5 Electoral Votes

WEST VIRGINIA - 5 Electoral Votes

Legal Requirements or Pledges

Electors in these States are bound by State Law or by pledges to cast their vote for a specific candidate:

ALABAMA - 9 Electoral Votes Party Pledge / State Law - § 17-19-2 ALASKA - 3 Electoral Votes Party Pledge / State Law - § 15.30.040; 15.30.070 CALIFORNIA - 55 Electoral Votes State Law - § 6906 COLORADO - 9 Electoral Votes State Law - § 1-4-304 CONNECTICUT - 7 Electoral Votes State Law § 9-175 DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA - 3 Electoral Votes DC Pledge / DC Law - § 1-1312(g) FLORIDA - 27 Electoral Votes Party Pledge / State Law - § 103.021(1) HAWAII - 4 Electoral Votes State Law - §§ 14-26 to 14-28 MAINE - 4 Electoral Votes State Law - § 805 MARYLAND - 10 Electoral Votes State Law - § 20-4 MASSACHUSETTS - 12 Electoral Votes Party Pledge / State Law - Ch. 53, § 8, Supp. MICHIGAN - 17 Electoral Votes State Law - §168.47 (Violation cancels vote and elector is replaced). MISSISSIPPI - 6 Electoral Votes Party Pledge / State Law - §23-15-785(3) MONTANA - 3 Electoral Votes State Law - §13-25-104 NEBRASKA - 5 Electoral Votes State Law - § 32-714 NEVADA - 5 Electoral Votes State Law - § 298.050 NEW MEXICO - 5 Electoral Votes State Law - § 1-15-5 to 1-15-9 (Violation is a fourth degree felony.) NORTH CAROLINA - 15 Electoral Votes State Law - § 163-212 (Violation cancels vote; elector is replaced and is subject to $500 fine.) OHIO - 20 Electoral Votes State Law - § 3505.40 OKLAHOMA - 7 Electoral Votes State Pledge / State Law - 26, §§ 10-102; 10-109 (Violation of oath is a misdemeanor, carrying a fine of up to $1000.) OREGON - 7 Electoral Votes State Pledge / State Law - § 248.355 SOUTH CAROLINA - 8 Electoral Votes State Pledge / State Law - § 7-19-80 (Replacement and criminal sanctions for violation.) VERMONT - 3 Electoral Votes State Law - title 17, § 2732 * VIRGINIA - 13 Electoral Votes State Law - § 24.1-162 (Virginia statute may be advisory - "Shall be expected" to vote for nominees.) WASHINGTON - 11 Electoral Votes Party Pledge / State Law - §§ 29.71.020, 29.71.040, Supp. ($1000 fine.) WISCONSIN - 10 Electoral Votes State Law - § 7.75 WYOMING - 3 Electoral Votes State Law - §§ 22-19-106; 22-19-108

[whatsthis]

Yeah Krome.. and I wonder, oh I wonder.. who is gonna count those votes??? Or will they just disappear into some giant black hole somewhere? You know... the same place where the men and woman of the Military's votes went!!! And they wonder why people are talking of seceding? That may be the only way to get any justice around here obviously!!!

Oh but I forget.... This is the White House's response to anyone wishing to secede!

Link: http://www.capitalis...-petition-

...There goes free speech for anyone willing to accuse of a possible wrong doing!!!

I have one Question on this one If I sign a petition to secede & from the US & I get exiled where are they going to exile me too since I was born in the US. Let them try to ship out Born in America citizens who want a different president & don't like thise one & just want to not take aprt in what he is doning.

[RodandStaff]

I have one Question on this one If I sign a petition to secede & from the US & I get exiled where are they going to exile me too since I was born in the US. Let them try to ship out Born in America citizens who want a different president & don't like thise one & just want to not take aprt in what he is doning.

I would think that like much of the rhetoric coming out of Washington... their bark is worse than their bite... I would like to see them "deport" 20 or 30 million True Blooded Americans... it would be much easier to send back on overstepping president to his original homeland... which he has yet to prove if it's on U.S. soil... just sayin!!!

[Maggie123]

"The title of the petition is, "WE PETITION THE OBAMA ADMINISTRATION TO: Strip the Citizenship from Everyone who Signed a Petition to Secede and Exile Them."

As of this writing, 2,205 have signed the petition; 22,795 more signatures are needed for the issue to be addressed by the White House".

Please correct me if I'm wrong... I understood that this petition was started by a group of citizens the same way the other petitions were started.

I don't see that it is a petition that is going to go anywhere... just some people trying to make a point... and certainly not one I would ever sign.

[SgtFuryUSCZ]

I... it would be much easier to send back one overstepping president to his original homeland... which he has yet to prove if it's on U.S. soil... just sayin!!!

***///

You got THAT right, ROD!

[DayGee]

"The title of the petition is, "WE PETITION THE OBAMA ADMINISTRATION TO: Strip the Citizenship from Everyone who Signed a Petition to Secede and Exile Them."

As of this writing, 2,205 have signed the petition; 22,795 more signatures are needed for the issue to be addressed by the White House".

Please correct me if I'm wrong... I understood that this petition was started by a group of citizens the same way the other petitions were started.

I don't see that it is a petition that is going to go anywhere... just some people trying to make a point... and certainly not one I would ever sign.

You are correct, that petition was started by citizens, it's not Obamas or the governments response to the secede petitions.

In case you hadn't noticed, Republicans love to lie about Obama. Makes you wonder. If his record is so terrible, why all the lies about him?

[SgtFuryUSCZ]

***///

Nobody, but nobody has to lie about obummer..... are you serious?!

:lmao:

[cajunrescuemedic]

Obviously you don't understand how the system works.

The winner of the popular vote in the state, wins the electoral vote.

The difference in the count is enough to change who won Ohio,

thus winning Ohio's electoral votes.

That's the way it's supposed to work, anyway.

I obviously don't understand, I'd rather the popular vote decide the president. It's harder to bribe millions than it is electorial delegates. But that is the name of the game these days....bribery...uh, I mean lobbying for one's cause. The US has the best politicians money can buy.

[ddl]

I obviously don't understand, I'd rather the popular vote decide the president. It's harder to bribe millions than it is electorial delegates. But that is the name of the game these days....bribery...uh, I mean lobbying for one's cause. The US has the best politicians money can buy.

The video I have linked below is a discussion of why the electoral college was so important to the founding fathers and why it is essential to a republic as opposed to a democracy. The electoral college empowers states as opposed to a central, federal government. Our country was founded on states rights. The founding fathers determined that the states, not the national populous, would elect the president. Each state determines how it will cast its electoral votes.

The whole point was to give smaller states some additional power so they would not be dictated to by the bigger states. If it were not for this voting system it is not likely we would even have the republic we do because the smaller colonies were not about to let New York determine the elections.

While the more populous states have more electoral college votes (each state gets a number of votes equal to its total number of senators and representatives) it is not so overwhelming a number as to disenfranchise the smaller states.

For example I have done some arithmetic to show the percentage of votes both Alaska (the least populous) and California (the most populous) would have under each system.

I am using rough 2010 census figures giving Alaska a population of 710,000, California 37,000,000, and the USA about 313,000,000. There are 538 total electoral votes. Alaska has 3 and California has 55.

By popular vote:

Alaska 710,000/313,000,000 = 0.23%

California 37,000,000/313,000,000 = 11.94%

Electoral college:

Alaska 3/538 = 0.56%

California 55/538 = 10.22%

Alaska has more than twice as much "say" under the electoral system (.56% instead of .23%). California has a little less say under the electoral college system. California still has more clout than Alaska but at least not quite as much percentage-wise as it would in a democracy.

http://www.youtube.c...h?v=RWoEVM9gkpY

[umbertino]

Quote

The US has the best politicians money can buy.

End Quote

I recall that statement which I first heard in the US during a TV comedy show and it was specifically aimed at Ronald Reagan. Either during the 1980 campaign period or after that.

The truth of the matter ( unfortunately) is that it can be applied to most Countries....not always maybe but much of the time.

Edited November 16, 2012 by umbertino

[krome2ez]

I obviously don't understand, I'd rather the popular vote decide the president. It's harder to bribe millions than it is electorial delegates. But that is the name of the game these days....bribery...uh, I mean lobbying for one's cause. The US has the best politicians money can buy.

The Dem's would want you to believe that the Electoral College does not represent the people.

Check this out and see if you feel the same way.

Bill Whittle Explains the "Electoral College"

Once and for All! (Ep 27)

http://www.youtube.c...h?v=RWoEVM9gkpY

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