A media source in Massachusetts sends word:

Kevin Conroy, Coakley’s campaign manager, says “we have gotten several disturbing incidents from the polls calling the integrity of this election into question.”
Nobody’s taking this live; the word “desperation” is being tossed around this newsroom . . .
He says they’ve gotten reports of five ballots, premarked for Brown, being given to voters entering the booths. This is very, very desperate.

Statement here. A pair of sharp eyes notices that it’s dated YESTERDAY, January 18.

It’s a typo, Team Coakley will undoubtedly insist. Not evidence that this is their pre-planned mischief to gum up the works of a big Scott Brown win.

UPDATE: Even Salon.com is calling this “thin evidence” for a claim of voter fraud.

Hey, if somebody gets a ballot marked, it ought to be reported to the proper authorities and the circumstances reviewed, to determine whether it’s a human error or something nefarious. But if this was a widespread issue, you would have had it complaints everywhere – it’s not like there are other races on the ballot to distract voters.

Team Brown responds:

“Reports that the Coakley campaign is making reckless accusations regarding the integrity of today’s election is a reminder that they are a desperate campaign. In fact, news reports point out that today’s accusation was a pre-dated, in the bag political attack. Furthermore, Senator John Kerry accused Brown supporters of intimidation and bullying — a tactic taken directly from his own 2004 playbook. The reality is that Massachusetts voters will determine the outcome of this election despite political attacks leveled by Martha Coakley and national Democrats.” — Daniel B. Winslow, Counsel for the Scott Brown for U.S. Senate Campaign
In 2004, Kerry’s Campaign Team Sent A Guidebook To Their Colorado Staff Telling Them To Launch A “Pre-Emptive Strike” If “No Signs Of Intimidation Techniques” Are Reported. “If no signs of intimidation techniques have emerged yet, launch a ‘pre-emptive strike’ (particularly well-suited to states in which there techniques have been tried in the past).
Issue a press release
i. Reviewing Republican tactic used in the past in your area or state
ii. Quoting party/minority/civil rights leadership as denouncing tactics that discourage people from voting
* Prime minority leadership to discuss the issue in the media; provide talking points* Place stories in which minority leadership expresses concern about the threat of intimidation tactics
* Warn local newspapers not to accept advertising that is not properly disclaimed or that contains false warnings about voting requirements and/or about what will happen at the polls