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OHIO: REPORT FROM OHIO [Kathryn Jean Lopez 11/03 03:49 AM]

A journalist:

Just got back (finally) from the state house in Columbus to my hotel 5
blocks away. According to Ohio Secretary of State Ken Blackwell, There are
quite a few more provisional ballots than 75,000. The only counts they
received on provisional ballots came in from 66 of Ohio's 88 counties. Most
of the biggest counties, as you might imagine, are rather swamped with
provisional ballots, and Blackwell said it would probably take until later
Wednesday until those poll workers — who had their hands full processing a
high turnout — get around to counting all of them and determining if they
are valid. He refused to guess how many, but the running estimate among
reporters in the state house tonight was about 175,000 or so.



11 days out of the election, when the deadline for overseas absentee ballots
hits, the counties will finish double-checking the provisional ballots and
count the overseas absentees (mostly military). A Bush victory will be
quickly officially certified by then. But, of course, that is discounting a
possible Democratic litigation blizzard, challenging the way counties
determine the validity of provisional ballots. I expect, at least for a few
days, for the Dems to try that strategy, unless they are called off by the
Kerry people. And do we really think that will happen?



As and aside, Blackwell did not cover himself with glory tonight, at least
in the eyes of reporters waiting for hours for any updates from him on waht
was going on. Even his flack refused to come up and give us any information,
or even answer our basic election prodecures questions while we were all
working on deadline. Suddenly, we noticed on the line of television screens
Blackwell hopping from network to network for about another hour. Finally,
at about 1 a.m., he came in. The reporters were quite annoyed. (I was mildly
annoyed. My deadline had passed, so Blackwell's comments wouldn't have made
my story, but I took his snub as a basic lack of disrespect. At least send
your flunkie up to answer questions).