Update Bomb threat at the Terre Haute Obama headquarters.
Indiana State Police swept Democrat presidential candidate Barack Obama’s Terre Haute campaign headquarters on Wabash Avenue this afternoon following an alleged call to a WTHI Channel 10 reporter claiming to have placed a bomb there and at six other Indiana locations.
Campaign workers were allowed back inside to continue their voter calling once police determined it was safe.
End update
————–
Black box voting claims there is some monkey business going on with Indiana’s voter registrations.
Yesterday, we reported that according to Indiana’s own figures, 1.1 million voter registrations had been cancelled, one-quarter of a million of those in just two counties [Lake & Porter]. Another researcher, Steve Rosenfeld, began tracking back through data from the Election Assistance Commission, finding that the cancellation quantities didn’t jive with the numbers you’d expect. According to Rosenfeld, after talking with the office of the Indiana Secretary of State the explanation is that “cancelled” does not mean “cancelled registrations” it means “changes” to registrations.
Blackbox voting suggested that this raises another concern – introduction of typos into the system. In a paper book, that’s not necessarily a big deal. With a computer search, that could be very bad. Rokita’s office indicated an intent to send officials to “hot spots” with a “history of vote fraud,” including Lake County. 11,000 people had voted in Lake County and 3,000 people had voted in Porter County by 1 p.m.
On the other end of the state, in Richmond, the vote centers are packed and computer problems have contributed to long lines. More information on turnout in Wayne County here. As I mentioned, in Lafayette, things seem to be going smoothly though turnout is very high. In Indianapolis, the county clerk is suggesting that voters go sooner rather than later. If you are in line – within 50 feet of the room in which voting takes place – by 6 p.m., you’ll be allowed to vote. But, the time between 5 and 6 when people get off work tends to be a rush. In Marion County, turnout in the 2008 primary election is expected to be comparable to the 2004 general election.
In Southern Indiana, the Louisville Courier Journal reported significant turn out with some difficulties with voter’s names not appearing on registries at the precinct, though telephone calls to the county appear to have resolved the problem. (Also see another story about heavy turnout here.) Also, brisk voting in Vanderburgh County.
In Allen County, they’re expecting turnout somewhere near 50%. Steady voting in South Bend.
Update 2 About 12 nuns were turned away because they lacked IDs.
About 12 Indiana nuns were turned away Tuesday from a polling place by a fellow bride of Christ because they didn’t have state or federal identification bearing a photograph.
Sister Julie McGuire said she was forced to turn away her fellow sisters at Saint Mary’s Convent in South Bend, across the street from the University of Notre Dame, because they had been told earlier that they would need such an ID to vote.
The nuns, all in their 80s or 90s, didn’t get one but came to the precinct anyway.
“One came down this morning, and she was 98, and she said, ‘I don’t want to go do that,'” Sister McGuire said. Some showed up with outdated passports. None of them drives.
They weren’t given provisional ballots because it would be impossible to get them to a motor vehicle branch and back in the 10-day time frame allotted by the law, Sister McGuire said. “You have to remember that some of these ladies don’t walk well. They’re in wheelchairs or on walkers or electric carts.”
Lafayette gets a little love from the Washington Post looking at candidates and the common man.
I feel for the ladies. Consider the following:
I went to vote today in the Indiana primary and was dismayed at the whole process. Now, I must admit, being an Apostolic Pentecostal Pastor more than likely influenced my views, but as the saying goes – we are what we eat.
Knowing that the world is controlled by the God of this world, I still expected – well – more.
I was called several times on the phone by Obama’s camp attempting to persuade me to vow my allegiance to the great Democratic (at least in their eyes) machine. I did not even bothering to answer the phone because of the spill I was sure to receive. Sometimes we think if we ignore the problem it will go away. Not so in this case.
I thought (rather erroneously) that the primary pressure would suffice with these calls. Funny how these calls happen in the middle of more important events you have planned and try to execute.
I walked to the polling place (a church located three blocks from me) and met a nice man carrying Obama leaflets. To his credit and my relief, he did not attempt to persuade me about my political affiliations.
I walked into the entrance and immediately I saw something that the Dems must have thought of in their preparations for the day. A very good looking woman was sitting in a folding chair about one foot from the actual room for voting. Someone must have taken a Psych class at school. Anyways, she had a bright red polka dot dress on and her cleavage was exposed for all the world to see and her dress was just barely below her knees. Now, you might condemn this Pastor for even looking at her, but I dare say I would challenge any man that would say they did not see her.
I thought – good trick. Woe be unto any man that crosses paths with this siren at this voting place. You have to hand it to the Dems, they know how to reel them in.
I told her that I would not reveal what political affliation I had and of course the nice woman turned into the hateful ogre that lived under the bridge. Remember that fairy tale that your Dad used to tell you? It’s real folks.
Having passed the gauntlet of persuasive conversation, I stepped into the safe haven of the voting place or so I thought. I was met by a kind and gentle worker that asked for my ID. Here in Indiana a law was passed that you must present ID to vote. I was then asked if I was a Republican or a Democrat.
I immediately looked behind me expecting the lovely woman sitting by the door wielding a pair of scissors in a rendition of the movie “Psychoâ€. Well sometimes our imagination is our worst enemy. Of course no blood spurted, no screams were heard, and no music played.
Have you ever had one of those moments when the air seems to leave the area, it is so silent that a pin, if dropped could be heard a mile away, and an expectation of a great event is about to happen? No – then you are missing something. If you have, then you know what I am talking about.
I said – quite slowly and taking time to speak clearly – “I don’t know why I have to tell you my political affiliation.â€
Air is sucked out of the room so fast, it’s a wonder everyone didn’t expire from lack of oxygen. I didn’t hear one pin, I heard a least a thousand. Here’s the best part. I dared to ask a question. Me, a lowly, unimportant voter asked A QUESTION.
The smile on the woman’s face turned to dismay and i could see the anger wanting to vent. I felt like Alice in Wonderland and she was the Queen screaming, “Off with his head!†I must admit I was feeling for body parts about now.
Fortunate for me, no armed guards arrived to escort me to some dungeon somewhere (even though the Police roll call is just one block from the church). My wife has told me that controversy follows me like a lost puppy looking for a kind scrap.
I was told unless I affirmed my party (Democrat or Republican) i would not be allowed to vote for the primary (in all fairness, they meant Presidental and so forth). They did tell me that I could vote for the school board. Talk about putting a carrot in front of the poor cart pulling horse.
I was explained the intricate workings of the political machine in Marion County, Indiana, after which she looked at me with a message in her eyes – “Make my day!â€
Sometimes we have to pull our punches and accept defeat. I ditfully told her my perference and was escorted to a voting table. I placed my paper (no electronic 21st century for us Hooisers) into a copier looking machine and exited the building.
Now, before you jump to the conclusion that i dislike Obama or any other Dem, let me state that I was never approached by the Clinton or McCain camp. Maybe they know that you can draw more flies with sugar instead of tar paper.
I must say that I was excited about my vote. I had – for the briefest moment – a moment in history. I was not happy about the whole process, but at least I voted. I gave a piece of my mind.