Just as a public service to Kossacks who may be interested in this...
From Columbus' weekly wildly popular alternative paper
ENTER AT YOUR OWN RISK
No matter how many times you've voted, you're not ready for what you'll find on Election Day 2004
Back in the good old days of Ohio elections, a period historians call the 20th century, there wasn't much to casting your vote. A short wait in line, a little chat with the old-as-hell poll worker, a trip behind the magic curtain, and you were on your way.
Scholars can debate how much Florida's 2000 election debacle changed America. But there's no doubt it will change a lot of Ohioans' trips to the polls on Nov. 2.
You can't swing an unmarked absentee ballot without hitting someone hinting darkly that our Election Day will fall somewhere between complicated and disastrous. How? Let us count the ways.
Outside the polls you may notice more people than usual milling about. That's because a labor-union led effort is under way to put "election protection" monitors outside polling locations in Columbus and other Ohio cities.
Plus, international election monitors--that's right, Jimmy Carters from other countries, keeping an eye on us--are likely headed to Columbus.
But the observe-a-thon outside is nothing compared to what may be going on inside. It remains to be seen how special provisional ballots will be handled by poll workers; Ohio Democrats are suing Republican Secretary of State Ken Blackwell in federal court over his plans for handling them.
Add to the mix more than 135,000 newly registered Franklin County voters and the usual last-minute scramble to find enough poll workers.
Messy enough for you? No? OK, let's toss this in: The Bush and Kerry presidential campaigns, dusting off an obscure section of Ohio's election law, have told state election officials they plan to post designated "challengers" inside polling places.
Franklin County Democratic Party Chairman Bill Anthony, who also chairs the Franklin County Board of Elections, used the words "zoo" and "chaotic" to describe what may take place at the polls on Election Day.
Just to be safe, you might want to go get in line now.
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