568 Voters who throw away their vote

A local radio news program this morning reported that 93,000 Ohio punch card ballots were thrown out, but that's better than in 2000 when 95,000 were not counted. When I think of the long lines of people waiting to vote, many in the rain--70% of registered voters, lower than in some other states, but high for Ohio--it makes me sad. I think I have heard that the reason we don't have the Florida hanging and pregnant chad problem, is that our laws clearly state what will be counted and what won't. I believe at least 2 holes have to be clearly punched in order for the ballot to be valid.

I used a punch card this year because we voted absentee, and I was surprised by how easy it was to have one or two not push through. I held it up to the light several times and found hanging chads.

The provisional ballots are not so serious--most of those will be thrown out anyway. But registered, valid voters getting it wrong out of carelessness--that's unfortunate.