More Votes than Voters in Ohio:
Absentee Vote Inflated, Certified Vote in Doubt
by Dr. Werner Lange
December 12, 2004

A careful review of the absentee vote in one Ohio county revealed that many more absentee votes were cast than there were absentee voters identified.

All absentee voters must be identified as such by name and residence in the precinct poll books of the precinct in which they are registered. Over 100 precinct poll books in Trumbull County were checked for absentee voters and that number of actual absentee voters was compared to the certified number of absentee votes. There was an inflated difference in nearly every precinct of the five communities examined. The five communities whose poll books were carefully inspected for an absentee vote overcount are: Warren City (311), Howland Township (138), Newton Falls City (34), Girard City (57), and Cortland Township (40). The 106 precincts of these five Ohio communities, about 39% of all precincts in Trumbull County, netted a total of 580 absentee votes for which there were no absentee voters identified in the poll books.

The 106 precincts of these five Ohio communities, about 39% of all precincts in Trumbull County, netted a total of 580 absentee votes for which there were no absentee voters identified in the poll books.

“When there are more votes than voters, there is a big problem” stated Dr. Werner Lange, author of this study which would have been completed weeks earlier if Ohio Secretary of State Kenneth Blackwell, co-chair of the Ohio Bush-Cheney campaign, had not unlawfully ordered all 88 boards of elections to prevent public inspection of poll books until after certification of the vote.

The absentee vote inflation rate for these five communities averages 5.5 fradulent voters per precinct. If this pattern of inflated absentee votes holds for all of Ohio’s 11,366 precincts, then there were some 62,513 absentee votes in Ohio up for grabs in the last election. Who grabbed them and how they did so should be the subject of an immediate congressional investigation.

INFLATION OF ABSENTEE VOTE IN OHIO:
Evidence from Trumbull County

LEGEND
P --|-- A --|-- B1 --|-- B2 --|-- B3 --|-- C
P = Precinct No.
A=Certified Absentee Vote
(B = Identified Absentee Voters)
B1= printed B2= handwritten B3= Total
C= Overcount

Warren:
1A --|-- 83 --|-- 48 --|-- 19 --|-- 67 --|-- 16
1B --|-- 29 --|-- 15 --|-- 5 --|-- 20 --|-- 9
1C --|-- 46 --|-- 38 --|-- 13 --|-- 51 --|-- -
1D --|-- 35 --|-- 30 --|-- 9 --|-- 39 --|-- -
1E --|-- 43 --|-- 31 --|-- 9 --|-- 40 --|-- 3
1G --|-- 41 --|-- 35 --|-- 4 --|-- 39 --|-- 2
1H --|-- 21 --|-- 19 --|-- 5 --|-- 24 --|-- -
1J --|-- 40 --|-- 27 --|-- 6 --|-- 33 --|-- 7
1K --|-- 47 --|-- 35 --|-- 2 --|-- 37 --|-- 10
1L --|-- 56 --|-- 36 --|-- 10 --|-- 46 --|-- 10
2A --|-- 38 --|-- 33 --|-- 3 --|-- 36 --|-- 2
2B --|-- 31 --|-- 24 --|-- 3 --|-- 27 --|-- 4
2C --|-- 62 --|-- 58 --|-- 6 --|-- 64 --|-- -
2D --|-- 20 --|-- 19 --|-- 6 --|-- 25 --|-- -
2E --|-- 53 --|-- 49 --|-- 0 --|-- 49 --|-- 4
2F --|-- 34 --|-- 27 --|-- 7 --|-- 34 --|-- 0
2G --|-- 48 --|-- 37 --|-- 4 --|-- 41 --|-- 7
3A --|-- 31 --|-- 16 --|-- 10 --|-- 26 --|-- 5
3B --|-- 27 --|-- 19 --|-- 5 --|-- 24 --|-- 3
3C --|-- 90 --|-- 69 --|-- 18 --|-- 87 --|-- 3
3D --|-- 43 --|-- 29 --|-- 15 --|-- 44 --|-- -
3E --|-- 63 --|-- 33 --|-- 20 --|-- 53 --|-- 10
3F --|-- 43 --|-- 24 --|-- 14 --|-- 38 --|-- 5
3G --|-- 51 --|-- 46 --|-- 9 --|-- 55 --|-- -
3H --|-- 41 --|-- 24 --|-- 9 --|-- 33 --|-- 8
3J --|-- 49 --|-- 34 --|-- 8 --|-- 42 --|-- 7
3K --|-- 54 --|-- 32 --|-- 12 --|-- 44 --|-- 10
3L --|-- 49 --|-- 31 --|-- 16 --|-- 47 --|-- 2
3M --|-- 93 --|-- 54 --|-- 34 --|-- 88 --|-- 5
4A --|-- 30 --|-- 15 --|-- 5 --|-- 20 --|-- 10
4B --|-- 35 --|-- 20 --|-- 7 --|-- 27 --|-- 8
4C --|-- 21 --|-- 13 --|-- 6 --|-- 19 --|-- 2
4D --|-- 11 --|-- 4 --|-- 4 --|-- 8 --|-- 3
4E --|-- 22 --|-- 13 --|-- 3 --|-- 16 --|-- 6
4F --|-- 25 --|-- 19 --|-- 5 --|-- 24 --|-- 1
4G --|-- 14 --|-- 5 --|-- 3 --|-- 8 --|-- 6
4H --|-- 20 --|-- 21 --|-- 3 --|-- 24 --|-- -
5A --|-- 45 --|-- 31 --|-- 13 --|-- 44 --|-- 1
5C --|-- 26 --|-- 16 --|-- 8 --|-- 24 --|-- 2
5D --|-- 64 --|-- 48 --|-- 10 --|-- 58 --|-- 6
5E --|-- 60 --|-- 34 --|-- 21 --|-- 55 --|-- 5
5F --|-- 60 --|-- 37 --|-- 13 --|-- 50 --|-- 10
5G --|-- 50 --|-- 29 --|-- 11 --|-- 40 --|-- 10
5H --|-- 63 --|-- 47 --|-- 6 --|-- 53 --|-- 10
5K --|-- 102 66 --|-- 24 --|-- 90 --|-- 12
5L --|-- 21 --|-- 17 --|-- 7 --|-- 24 --|-- -
6A --|-- 40 --|-- 27 --|-- 10 --|-- 37 --|-- 3
6B --|-- 48 --|-- 25 --|-- 13 --|-- 38 --|-- 10
6C --|-- 37 --|-- 25 --|-- 0 --|-- 25 --|-- 12
6D --|-- 39 --|-- 28 --|-- 6 --|-- 34 --|-- 5
6E --|-- 81 --|-- 50 --|-- 12 --|-- 62 --|-- 19
6G --|-- 38 --|-- 20 --|-- 14 --|-- 34 --|-- 4
7A --|-- 34 --|-- 32 --|-- 1 --|-- 33 --|-- 1
7B --|-- 66 --|-- 49 --|-- 14 --|-- 63 --|-- 3
7C --|-- 50 --|-- 35 --|-- 5 --|-- 40 --|-- 10
7D --|-- 41 --|-- 26 --|-- 0 --|-- 26 --|-- 15
7E --|-- 40 --|-- 30 --|-- 7 --|-- 37 --|-- 3
7F --|-- 16 --|-- 11 --|-- 3 --|-- 14 --|-- 2

Total Overcount: Warren 311

Howland Township:
A --|-- 34 --|-- 20 --|-- 4 --|-- 24 --|-- 10
B --|-- 22 --|-- 19 --|-- 3 --|-- 22 --|-- 0
C --|-- 53 --|-- 39 --|-- 11 --|-- 50 --|-- 3
D --|-- 61 --|-- 48 --|-- 13 --|-- 61 --|-- 0
E --|-- 43 --|-- 32 --|-- 5 --|-- 37 --|-- 6
F --|-- 41 --|-- 34 --|-- 3 --|-- 37 --|-- 4
G --|-- 44 --|-- 34 --|-- 5 --|-- 39 --|-- 5
H --|-- 122 95 --|-- 14 --|-- 109 13
J --|-- 70 --|-- 57 --|-- 9 --|-- 66 --|-- 4
K --|-- 66 --|-- 45 --|-- 11 --|-- 56 --|-- 10
L --|-- 48 --|-- 33 --|-- 9 --|-- 42 --|-- 6
M --|-- 50 --|-- 36 --|-- 9 --|-- 45 --|-- 5
N --|-- 74 --|-- 55 --|-- 9 --|-- 64 --|-- 10
P --|-- 36 --|-- 21 --|-- 5 --|-- 26 --|-- 10
Q --|-- 43 --|-- 33 --|-- 5 --|-- 38 --|-- 5
R --|-- 39 --|-- 32 --|-- 9 --|-- 41 --|-- -
S --|-- 84 --|-- 67 --|-- 7 --|-- 74 --|-- 10
T --|-- 44 --|-- 35 --|-- 3 --|-- 38 --|-- 4
V --|-- 42 --|-- 22 --|-- 7 --|-- 29 --|-- 13
W --|-- 61 --|-- 50 --|-- 9 --|-- 59 --|-- 2
X --|-- 56 --|-- 45 --|-- 6 --|-- 51 --|-- 5
Y --|-- 69 --|-- 49 --|-- 7 --|-- 56 --|-- 13
Total Overcount: Howland Township 138

Newton Falls
City:
1A --|-- 61 --|-- 44 --|-- 4 --|-- 48 --|-- 13
2A --|-- 37 --|-- 35 --|-- 0 --|-- 35 --|-- 2
3A --|-- 62 --|-- 49 --|-- 1 --|-- 50 --|-- 12
4A --|-- 41 --|-- 32 --|-- 2 --|-- 34 --|-- 7
Total Overcount: Newton Falls City 34

Girard City:
1A --|-- 58 --|-- 38 --|-- 0 --|-- 38 --|-- 20
1B --|-- 54 --|-- 41 --|-- 11 --|-- 52 --|-- 2
1C --|-- 51 --|-- 47 --|-- 8 --|-- 55 --|-- -
2A --|-- 57 --|-- 45 --|-- 5 --|-- 50 --|-- 7
2B --|-- 62 --|-- 56 --|-- 6 --|-- 62 --|-- 0
2C --|-- 35 --|-- 30 --|-- 0 --|-- 30 --|-- 5
2D --|-- 45 --|-- 29 --|-- 8 --|-- 37 --|-- 8
3A --|-- 26 --|-- 25 --|-- 4 --|-- 29 --|-- -
3B --|-- 69 --|-- 53 --|-- 18 --|-- 71 --|-- -
3C --|-- 43 --|-- 35 --|-- 1 --|-- 36 --|-- 7
3D --|-- 42 --|-- 34 --|-- 0 --|-- 34 --|-- 8
4A --|-- 55 --|-- 42 --|-- 13 --|-- 55 --|-- 0
4B --|-- 43 --|-- 42 --|-- 3 --|-- 45 --|-- -
4C --|-- 36 --|-- 35 --|-- 2 --|-- 37 --|-- -
Total Overcount: Girard City 57

Cortland:
A --|-- 50 --|-- 34 --|-- 13 --|-- 47 --|-- 3
B --|-- 61 --|-- 41 --|-- 15 --|-- 56 --|-- 5
C --|-- 75 --|-- 59 --|-- 11 --|-- 70 --|-- 5
D --|-- 59 --|-- 38 --|-- 11 --|-- 49 --|-- 10
E --|-- 67 --|-- 54 --|-- 13 --|-- 67 --|-- 0
F --|-- 61 --|-- 51 --|-- 8 --|-- 59 --|-- 2
G --|-- 75 --|-- 55 --|-- 10 --|-- 65 --|-- 10
H --|-- 54 --|-- 37 --|-- 12 --|-- 49 --|-- 5
Total Overcount: Cortland --|-- --|-- --|-- --|-- 40

Total Overcount from these five Trumbull County communities: 580

Key Findings:

1. 580 votes attributed to absentee voters in these five communities had no record in the precinct poll books of the identity of the voter.

2. Only five precincts had a certified absentee vote that was equivalent to the number of identified absentee voters in the precinct poll book. The five are: Warren 2F; Howland D; Cortland E; and Girard 4A and 2A.

3. An overcount of exactly 10 absentee votes was unusually common. 17 precincts showed 10 more absentee votes than there were identified absentee voters. The 17 are:

Warren 1K; 1L; 3E; 3K; 4A; 5F; 5G; 5H; 6B; 7C; Howland A, K, N, P, S; and Cortland D and G.

Discussion:

Absentee voters, like any other registered voters, must have their name and address appear in the poll book of the precinct in which they reside and vote. No legitimate absentee ballot can be cast without the name of the registered absentee voter appearing in the precinct poll book. If application for an absentee ballot is made in a timely fashion, then “absentee voter” appears in bold print within the signature box of that voter. If the request for an absentee ballot comes close to the election, then evidently those words or similar ones are handwritten within the signature box. Also, if the registered absentee voter chooses to vote at the Trumbull Board of Elections, then this information is shared with precinct poll workers who are to write in “absentee voter.”

For this study, both the printed and written absentee voter identification were verified for each of the 106 precincts carefully scrutinized. The actual total number of identified absentee voters appears in column B3. Board of Election officials mark the certified absentee vote in red ink on the cover of the poll book as well as on the Reconciliation Certificate found within it, often changing the number which appeared on the cover in black ink. The number of absentee votes counted and certified appears in column A. If there is a higher number in column B3 than A, then not all persons receiving an absentee ballot returned them or some other legitimate reason can explain the difference.

If there is a higher number in column A than in column B3 – as happened in nearly every precinct examined – then there must have been more absentee votes cast than there were absentee voters identified in the poll books. This glaring discrepancy cries out for an explanation and investigation. There cannot and must not be more votes than voters in any legitimate election.

Conclusion:

If this pattern of overcounting absentee votes is a statewide one, then tens of thousands of phoney absentee votes were up for grabs in Ohio. Who grabbed them and how they got them should be a subject of an immediate congressional investigation.

For further information, please contact Dr. Werner Lange, author of this study, at Werlange@earthlink.com

Editor's Note:

After reading this article I asked Dr. Lange a few follow-up questions. Dr. Lange's replies are indented.

1. Were the absentee ballots counted separately in each precinct, or together at the county election HQ?

I am not certain where the absentee ballots were counted.  I believe it must have been at the county election HQ (Trumbull Board of Elections) since absentee voters did not show up at the precinct polls but needed to be identified as absentee voters in the poll books whether they voted by mail or at the Trumbull BOE in the days prior to Election Day.

2. Did you examine the actual absentee ballots?
- If so, could you tally the Kerry & Bush votes?
- If so, did you notice any repeating handwriting?

No, I did not examine the absentee ballots themselves, and I believe members of the general public are not permitted to do so.  The poll books are public documents; but I'm not sure if the ballots themselves have the same status.

3. Did you seek an explanation from the county election supervisor?

Not specifically, but I was told by a BOE employee that all absentee voters are identified as such in the precinct poll books.