FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
November 11, 2004
POC:
Blair Bobier, Cobb Campaign -- 541.929.5755 or 414.364.1596
Stephen Gordon, Badnarik campaign 256-227-8360 or
communications@...
PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATES TO DEMAND OHIO RECOUNT
David Cobb and Michael Badnarik, the 2004 Green and Libertarian
presidential candidates, today announced their joint intent to secure
a recount of presidential ballots cast in Ohio.
"Due to widespread reports of irregularities in Ohio's voting
process, we are compelled to demand a recount of the Ohio
presidential vote," the two candidates said in a joint statement.
"Voting is at the heart of the American political process and its
integrity must be preserved. When Americans stand in line for hours
to exercise their right to vote, they need to know that their votes
will be counted fairly and accurately. We are acting to protect the
rights of the people of Ohio, and the rights of all Americans. Public
trust in the democratic process is at stake."
The candidates also demanded that Ohio Secretary of State Kenneth
Blackwell, a Republican who chaired the Ohio Bush campaign, recuse
himself from the recount process.
Ohio's election proceedings were marred by numerous press and
independent reports of voter intimidation, mis-marked and discarded
ballots, problems with electronic voting machines and
disenfranchisement -- apparently by design -- of African-American
voters. A number of citizen and voting rights organizations will hold
hearings this Saturday in Columbus, Ohio to give an airing to, and
investigate, these claims. The hearings will be held from 1-4 p.m.
at the New Faith Baptist Church, 955 Oak Street. Voters, poll
workers, journalists and voting experts are invited to testify. A
second hearing will be held on Monday at a location to be announced,
from 6-9 p.m.
The Badnarik and Cobb campaigns are in the process of raising the
required fee, estimated at $110,000, for securing a complete recount.
The campaigns are accepting contributions through their web sites.
The Badnarik-Campagna website is http://www.badnarik.org. The
Cobb-LaMarche website is http://www.votecobb.org.
Throughout this election cycle, the Cobb and Badnarik campaigns have
worked together in a spirit of cooperation and civility rarely found
in electoral politics. The campaigns jointly participated in and/or
sponsored a series of independent debates, and the two candidates
were arrested together in St. Louis protesting their exclusion from
the restricted, two-party corporate-sponsored "debates." Now, as the
election results remain in question, Michael Badnarik and David Cobb
are proud to once again act together on behalf of the rights and
interests of the American people in reaching the truth.
-30-
385 words
References:
For an article detailing a dozen ways in which the Ohio vote was
potentially manipulated, see
http://www.freepress.org/departments/display/19/2004/810
To see an investigative report which asserts that the Ohio vote was
improperly decided, see
http://www.tompaine.com/articles/kerry_won.php
For a firsthand account of apparent manipulation of third party
votes, see
http://knappster.blogspot.com/2004/11/right-before-our-eyes.html