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Monday, November 5, 2012

Lawyers Brace For Election Challenges

Kimberly Fisher casts her ballot at a polling place in Salisbury, Md. on Wednesday, after superstorm Sandy passed through the area. (Alex Brandon/AP)

Lawyers for Mitt Romney and Barack Obama will be heading to the polls tomorrow in droves, watching out for election problems.

They’re keeping an eye on what’s being called “the margin of litigation,” where the number of still-to-be-counted votes is greater than the winning margin, especially in decisive battleground states.

Provisional ballots in Ohio could be a problem, so could absentee ballots in Florida.

Guest:

  • Edward Foley, director of the election law program at Ohio State University.
Other stories from Monday's show

We welcome comments from all of our listeners. Post below. Please stay on topic and be civil. Comments may be moderated by us, but you are solely responsible for the content of your comments.

  • Gary King

    Indiana is similar to Ohio regarding Provisional Ballots.  Most are cast by people who are not listed in the poll book (maybe not registered in time) or does not present appropriate ID. (Out of state students, temporary residents.) Some would-be voters refuse to complete the form — possibly because they realize that their vote can’t be counted.
    The election is not about the president only. Local candidates and questions also appear on the ballot. The citizens of the precinct, district and town have the right to have their votes counted for local officials and issues without “skewing” of the results caused by votes of those who are not affected or informed about the candidates and issues on the ballot.
    So, we want to be sure that each voter votes only once, and in the place where they actually have residence.

  • Kydlt

    How about, in a step to legitimize the US
    elections, we all get a receipt, with a unique, secret number. Like when
    one takes an AIDS test. Then after the results are announced, all the
    chads are un-hung, and Diabold swears that they are honest, I can go to a
    https:// site, type in my secret number and find out who the government
    thinks I voted for. And RAISE HELL if they got it wrong.
    The secret ballot’s sacred secrecy is preserved.

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