Posted on 10/13/2008 11:14:21 PM PDT by Chet 99
Edited on 10/15/2008 6:53:28 AM PDT by Sidebar Moderator. [history]
Poll workers clash at Falls nursing home
Police, elections board investigate alleged assault over marked ballot
By Stephanie Warsmith Beacon Journal staff writer
Published on Tuesday, Oct 14, 2008
Poll workers from opposing sides in the presidential race apparently clashed in a physical altercation Friday at a Cuyahoga Falls nursing home when one accused the other of improperly marking a ballot.
George Manos, the 75-year-old Republican, told police that Edith Walker, the 73-year-old Democrat, jumped on his back and struck him in the head three to four times with her fists. Manos said two other elections workers had to pull Walker off his back, according to a report filed with Cuyahoga Falls police.
Manos said it happened after he accused Walker of ballot tampering, and he wants to prosecute.
The incident, which occurred about noon at Gardens of Western Reserve nursing home, is being investigated by both the police and the Summit County elections board. The board probe could lead to a closer examination of the other votes with which Walker was involved.
The alleged assault piqued the interest of Sen. John McCain's presidential campaign — as the voter in question reportedly wanted to vote for McCain but her ballot was initially marked for Sen. Barack Obama.
''This is a troubling report that emphasizes the importance of having a transparent and open process in every voting place in Ohio,'' said Paul Lindsay, a spokesman for McCain's campaign.
The elections board sent two teams of poll workers, each with one Democrat and one Republican, to the nursing home to assist residents who otherwise would be unable to go to the polls. Such early voting is a routine service offered by elections boards to nursing homes.
Board officials said they have received conflicting accounts — and are trying to sort out what happened — as Manos and Walker were attempting to assist a female nursing home resident with her ballot. Until they do, Walker won't be involved with voting.
''Any type of disagreement at a voting center is not appropriate,'' said Tim Gorbach, a Democratic member of the elections board. ''We need to find out exactly what happened and will take action.''
The voter was able to cast a new, correct ballot with her desired choices, according to elections board officials.
Workers finish vote
After the incident, Manos and Walker were asked to return to the elections board and the remaining team of poll workers finished the voting at the nursing home.
Manos, Walker and the two other poll workers gave written accounts to the board.
Walker said in her statement that Manos tried to grab the ballot in question out of her hand. She said he accused her of marking the ballot wrong and she ''apologized to him if I did do it, but he was very mean to me.''
Manos' written statement is similar to what he told police. He also said Walker initially refused to show him the ballot, then marked it a second time.
Richard Bader, a Republican poll worker at the nursing home, wrote that he forced his way between Walker and Manos and ''she tried to strong-arm me out of the way, but I held my ground.'' Bader said the incident drew a crowd of six to 10 people.
Robert Dengle, a Democratic poll worker who witnessed the incident, wrote that Manos grabbed the ballot out of Walker's hand and she went after him to get it back. When they ultimately reviewed the ballot, he said, it was marked both for Obama and McCain.
New rules suggested
Bryan Williams, the board's deputy director, sent the statements to elections board members Monday, along with suggested new nursing home guidelines for elections board staff. If the board approve the rules, he said, the staff will be retrained before voting resumes at area nursing homes today.
Among the recommendations are that both the Democrat and Republican poll worker review each vote on a ballot as it is marked and that — when reviewing the choices — a poll worker will say them aloud so the voter can hear them.
Brian Daley, a Republican member of the elections board, said he thinks the board should have a hearing on the incident. He said the board may need to examine the other votes Walker was involved with to make sure they were properly marked.
''If it results in looking at the others, so be it,'' he said. ''The facts as they unfold will dictate where we go with it.''
Stephanie Warsmith can be reached at 330-996-3705 or swarsmith@thebeaconjournal.com.
BTTT
I'm not sporting anything but my perrenial pro-2nd Amendment stickers this year.
Why are the pollworkers doing anything with the ballots?? I have been a poll watcher, on numerous occasions. The ballot, when there is a paper ballot, should only be touched by the voter, period! The voter votes, and drops his/her ballot in the box. End of story.
This was an obvious attempt to spoil a McCain vote! Vote fraud, pure and simple!
She looks just like bill clinton in drag!!!
This is YOUR typical White Woman, 0bama, hee hee
Just heard this on Rush. I grew up in Cuyahoga Falls...kind of funny to me now.
The Dem poll worker apologized for marking a geriatric home residents ballot for Obama instead of Mccain as instructed by the resident?
Oh! She apologized, move along then, case closed!
Looks like Slick. Hallowween’s coming
Just wait till Floriduh tries to vote.
All your vote are belong to us.
Note the smiley. :-)
I can’t take credit for the Photochopping.
Is she related to Bill Clinton? Looks just like him.
Because the elderly voters are unable to mark their own ballot. This happens all the time. Poll workers are charged with helping handicapped people vote. We are suppose to be unbiased and mark it exactly as the voter wanted. Sometimes the handicapped bring in their own helper.
One year, this happend in our precinct. We hae a rest home aide bring in several elderly patients, who she “helped”...We are charged with making sure that the voter’s wishes are reflected on the ballot.
Well, this nurses aide, asked the lady who she wanted as President, and she said, “NIXON!” She got quite loud about it, and I walked over to check it out. The aide had voted for Kerry. I told the lady that Nixon wasn’t in the race this year, and asked her who she wanted, “the democrat, John Kerry, or the republican, George Bush?” “Oh, George Bush!!” shouted the lady!
Her ballot was spoiled, and we helped her fill out the new one. The Aide did not bring in another paitient.
If you can, everyone, do whatever it takes to be a volunteer to help the elderly in rest homes to vote. I suppose Acorn has already sent their Obama aides in with absentee ballots, to get all their votes. Check out your local rest homes. See what is going on. Drive people to the polls if you can.
I’m afraid the Obama thugs will exploit those who have alzheimer’s disease or in a comatose state.
If a patient isn’t thinking for him or herself due to diease they shouldn’t be voting in my opinion.
But the Obama thugs do not care. They have no shame except to win this election by any means possible.
Adult children....go see your folks at the nursing home and protect their voting privledges. Don’t let your elderly parents to be taken advantage of during this election season.
Ohio Ping!
You only needed to post it once. :)
Nothing to see here, move on. >>>
it’s funny as hell, i’m surprised nobody lost their false teeth, thanks for posting.
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