] Voters-rights advocates are criticizing two recent
] decisions by Ohio Secretary of State J. Kenneth Blackwell
] that they say will unfairly limit some people's ability
] to vote Nov. 2. Blackwell's office has told county boards
] of elections to follow strictly two provisions in Ohio
] election law:
]
]
] * One requires Ohio voter registration cards be
] printed on thick, 80-pound stock paper.
]
] * The other ordered boards to strictly interpret the
] rules regarding provisional ballots, the ones cast by
] voters who move before the election but are still
] registered in Ohio.
]
]
] The paper-stock issue is frustrating Montgomery County
] Board of Elections officials, who have a backlog of
] registrations to complete. If they get an Ohio voter
] registration card on paper thinner than required, they
] are mailing a new card out to the voter. But if they
] still have the backlog by the registration deadline, Oct.
] 4, voters will not have another chance to get their
] correct paperwork in, said Steve Harsman, deputy director
] of the Montgomery County board. In Montgomery County
] there is a backlog of around 4,000 registrations, Harsman
] said. A few hundred could be affected by this provision,
] he said.

[ I won't go so far as to say it's partisan or conspiratorial without knowing a lot more, but it is complete bullshit. Since when is the state's interest in having a particular weight of paper for a document (regardless of the motivation behind such a rule) greater than the right to vote? Gimme a break. -k]