JACKSON JOINS CRITICS OF bLACKWELL; VOTING DIRECTIVE CALLED ILLEGAL

Dayton Daily News ^ | 10/05/2004 | William Hershey

[JesseHousman]

CLEVELAND | The Rev. Jesse Jackson on Monday said Republican Ohio Secretary of State J. Kenneth Blackwell is trying to reverse gains made by the civil rights movement by limiting where some Ohioans can cast their ballots.

Without specifically naming Blackwell, who is black, Jackson said at a news conference that some "beneficiaries" of voting rights gained by the civil rights movement now are trying to undermine the gains.

Blackwell, the state's top elections officer, responded later that, "It's nice for Mr. Jackson to drop in and show total disregard for the rule of law, a law that has proved to be just and reasonable, just to stir the pot."

Jackson joined three other Democrats — U.S. Reps. Stephanie Tubbs Jones and Dennis Kucinich of Cleveland, and former U.S. Rep. Louis Stokes — outside the Cuyahoga County Board of Elections on the final day of voter registration for the Nov. 2 election.

They were there to show support for a federal lawsuit the Ohio and Sandusky County Democratic parties filed in Toledo last week, charging that Blackwell is limiting where some Ohioans may cast "provisional ballots" in violation of the federal Help America Vote Act.

The state must respond by Thursday and the judge has said he hopes to rule by Oct. 15.

Kucinich, specifically criticizing Blackwell, said the media should ask him "what right do you have to stop people from being able to vote? He has no right to do that."

Kucinich, who is white, said it was significant that Stokes, Ohio's first black U.S. House member, and Tubbs Jones, the first black woman elected to the U.S. House from Ohio, were at the event.

Provisional ballots allow a voter whose eligibility is in question to cast a ballot that is kept separate from regular ballots until election officials can verify eligibility. The lawsuit focuses on Blackwell's Sept. 16 directive to county boards of election about voters who move from one precinct to another within the same county, but don't update their registration with the address change.

The directive said that under Ohio law, these voters may update the address change at the new precinct on Election Day and cast a ballot at that precinct. The vote would be counted when officials verify the registration. If a poll worker determines the voter's new address is not in the precinct where he or she shows up, the worker must direct the voter to the correct precinct.

Jackson said the requirement is part of a national effort to suppress the vote.

"What Mr. Jackson fails to offer in his harangue is that 27 states have a similar or more restrictive policy on provisional ballots than Ohio (and) that federal courts have upheld these laws," Blackwell said.

Both sides in the presidential campaign have mounted major voter-registration drives that have local county elections officials predicting record registrations.

Election officials in Montgomery, Greene, Warren and Miami counties said they expected to see record registration numbers when they process all the applications, which are still coming in.

Chris Heizer, director of the Montgomery County Board of Elections, estimated the office received nearly 4,000 new applications Monday. He expected the county registration to exceed 380,000.

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[JesseHousman]

"It's nice for Mr. Jackson to drop in and show total disregard for the rule of law, a law that has proved to be just and reasonable, just to stir the pot."

Mr. Jackson is always happy to drop into any situation a stir the pot, especially when there's nothing in the pot.

This Bud's for you, reverend.

Blackwell is the great black hope for Ohio and is a man of great flawless character. He should and will be the next governor of Ohio where Taft will be shoveled off to the dustbin of history and all those massive Ohio tax increases will be rescinded by Mr. Blackwell!

[Numbers Guy]

If someone shows up at the wrong place to vote, they will be informed of the right place to vote. They can then go there and vote. What's the problem?

[DustyMoment]

Blackwell, the state's top elections officer, responded later that, "It's nice for Mr. Jackson to drop in and show total disregard for the rule of law, a law that has proved to be just and reasonable, just to stir the pot."

YOWZA!!!!! Slam Dunk!!!

[smith288]

I love how this article details everyone's race.

"Mr Blackwell, who is black..."

"Mr Jackson, who is black..."

"Mr Kucinich, who is from planet Zoltrumo"

[gatex]

"...The Rev. Jesse Jackson..."

Mixing church and state.

[Popman]

If someone shows up at the wrong place to vote, they will be informed of the right place to vote. They can then go there and vote. What's the problem?

The problem is very simple!

If you are directed to go to the correct precinct, then how in the world are you going to be able to vote twice for Kerry / Edwards?

[JesseHousman]

Mixing church and state.

Wrong-o!

Mixing fiction with fact.

[Bikers4Bush]

U.S. Reps. Stephanie Tubbs Jones and Dennis Kucinich of Cleveland, and former U.S. Rep. Louis Stokes

These three are as trustworthy as the U.N.

[JesseHousman]

They have a lot in common but especially when one considers that they all carry the same card in their wallet. It's the one with Lenin's photograph and certification that they blong to Maxine Waters and John Conyers club: International Socialism Association. ISA

You've heard of it, of course when Conyers, Waters and Jackson-Lee say, "Isa member of the Innernashunal soshlist pahty."

[Area51]

For some reason I don't think MLK would have behaved like this if he were here today. To the contrary I would suspect he would tell the lazy chuckleheads to take some pride in being Black, Free and 21. YOU are responsible for your actions. Stop blaming whitey.

Instead we get to listen to Jackasson. ;(

[Axelsrd]

Provisional ballots allow a voter whose eligibility is in question to cast a ballot that is kept separate from regular ballots until election officials can verify eligibility.

In other words...Until we can determine how many vote we need to secure a Kerry victory.

[mortal19440]

It's a shame we can't let people in PA vote in Ohio, they are real close to each other.There are rules and laws for a reason, but if anyone tries to enforce them they get charged with discrimination and other off the wall charges. Why isn't it mandatory Fed and state wide to show a picture ID? We need to show them for all kinds of important things like cigs and booze.

[goldstategop]

Action Shackson shows up for 'nother shakedown. Unlike Al Sharpton, he doesn't appreciate just how funny he can be at times like this.

[alarmguy]

Blackwelll for Governor, 2006!

[Popman]

It's a shame we can't let people in PA vote in Ohio,

Interesting, you pointed that out. About 40,000 Floridians are registered in New York as well or vice a versa. The Feds are investigating.

They need to send a couple of retired democratic activist to jail for a season to make a point.

[JesseHousman]

Absolutely. If elected Blackwell will be the most conservative governor of Ohio in eons. Before this weasel Taft there was another weasel Voinovich, both of whom have never seen a tax they didn't like!

[JesseHousman]

...I don't think MLK would have behaved like this if he were here today.

Don't be too sure.

The FBI wasn't investigating MLK just because he had a proclivity for wenches...sometimes two or three at a time. The man had a voracious sexual appetite, not unlike that of our first black president. He felt he was entitled to certain things, like Jesse, and his staffers were sent out to fetch the wenches..

He may have been carrying Lenin's picture in his wallet too.

Eventually he would be into playing 52 race cards to get goodies for everyone, including himself. Look at how his heirs have commercialized his memory by charging outrageious sums for copies of his memorabilia.

[mabelkitty]

"It's nice for Mr. Jackson to drop in and show total disregard for the rule of law, a law that has proved to be just and reasonable, just to stir the pot."
ROFLMAO!!

This is too funny! They don't know what a street fighter Blackwell is - if they think they are going to take him on and he will roll-over, well I'll sell tickets to that event. BLACKWELL FOR GOVERNOR!

[unbalanced but fair]

Basically what Jesse Jackson [I refuse to call him Reverand] is inferring is that Blacks need his help to figure out anything, in this case how to find a place to vote. This is what keeps him in the media's spotlight. I personally find this extremely offensive.

[traviskicks]

    Here is a picture of Jesse Jackson marching with N.O.W. members against Welfare Reform, along with the results of the reforms they opposed. State Reform took effect around 1992-1994 and the National Bill was passed in 1996. The Republicans swept the house in 1994 promising a ‘Contract with America’. People are the same the world over. It is the political structure and governmental interference that make all the difference. Get Government out of people’s lives and they will succeed. To believe people cannot succeed without government ‘help’ is to subscribe to what President Bush calls, ‘the soft bigotry of low expectations’. The reason they aren’t succeeding is BECAUSE of the government help! For some reason, saying these things and passing bills that help millions of people out of poverty is said by the left to be ‘cruel’, ‘hardnosed’ and ‘racist’.