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RANTS this Thanksgiving Eve that it was not another 4-hour Springsteen show, but another
marathon meeting of the Fayette County Board of Elections, deciding the fate of absentee voter
ballots... and ignoring strict state voter regulations to allow absentee ballots from the 8Nov11
general election to count here that would not count in the next counties. Continued
RAVES this Thanksgiving to everything that we hold dear to us. It is a day to be with those we love,
have fun, eat and share with those who are alone, not by choice. Happy Thanksgiving to you readers
that we never take for granted. May it be your most memorable Thanksgiving yet! (24 Nov11)
RANTS that the local paper allowed a letter to the editor from Neil Brown, a member of Fayette
County's Zoning Board, to publish today without editing at least one piece of it first. In his letter,
he takes a cheap shot at Fayette County Commissioner Angela Zimmerlink for being absent from
the commissioner's office to attend an election board meeting where ballots for the 4Nov11
election were discussed. This is America and Brown is free, of course, to voice that opinion.
However, today's letter to the editor, for those of us swallowing morning tea at the same time
while reading, was a little more sour grapes than we cared to swallow. We would like to put Brown's
mind at ease a bit by assuring him that lots of people in the county have time and date stamped
email proof, over the past 8 years, that the commissioner has logged in a staggering number of
evening and weekend hours on official county business -- well over the regular 37.5 hours that the
courthouse is open for business. RANTS that we have a strong feeling that Brown and the folks at
the local paper had to have already known that, too. Brown's name, for those unfamiliar with his
legacy on the zoning board, you might recall reading from the lists of paid political contributors to
some county political candidates. Oh, and before we forget again...
RAVES to the Fayette Patch Hunky for the enlightening 22Nov11 tutorial, with such easy to follow
photographs, on how to distinguish between respectable journalism and biased public relation fluff.
Once upon a time, yes, newspapers really did insist that their writers had professional integrity.
RANTS that that time is gone. (25 Nov11)
RAVES of appreciation for all the wonderful feedback over Fayette County Election Board Colors
Outside The Box. It's amazing how many readers make your presence here known. Contrary to what
one might think, we welcome even negative feedback. It would be a pretty boring world if we all
agreed on everything. Here's another addition to FAYETTE COUNTY COMMENTARY, What Ever
Happened To Dave? I mean, we just had to ask. (26 Nov11)
RANTS of the most negligent kind to the editor of the local rag, for penning today's editorial,
giving the blessing to the county election board's ongoing mockery of the last election. Note that
the editor did not listen yet to the wise Fayette Patch Hunky and failed once again to legitimize
the process by saying "so and so at the state election office said it's Okie Dokie to include late
absentee ballots because the election bureau did not check the mail before the deadline to accept
them passed on 4Nov11." To those of us who have called twice and called other counties for input
two weeks ago, today's editorial leaves us shaking our heads and wondering why we even bother
reading the local rag to see if it has redeemed itself yet. Note to HS editor: We definitely agree
with you that the count is being watched closely (and really would have, even without the cheap shot
the other day at a commissioner for watching the process), but you missed the boat, by failing to
quote solid, respectable proof that we have searched for in vein and not found yet, that the
election board acted within the law to accept late absentee ballots. (27 Nov11)
Neither a RANT nor a RAVE, but a big "We Told You So!" to the Fayette County Election Board for
not following state deadlines and opening the door to lawsuits over its decision to count late
absentee ballots. Dave Lohr, Republican candidate for commissioner, filed suit today to overturn
the board's decision to reject 26 ballots last week. Rejected ballots that Lohr wants counted
include 10 that bore a 5Nov11 Pittsburgh postmark, 10 with unreadable postmarks, 2 that sat from
31Oct11 undelivered because of insufficient postage, 2 that were unsigned and 2 others that Lohr
feels were not delivered on time due to an internal post office mistake. Judge Ralph Warman will
preside over Lohr's appeal at 1:30 tomorrow afternoon. We can only hope that Warman asks for
proof that the state allows any late ballots to count. If Connellsville native, Seth Reiss, head
writer of "The Onion," doesn't pick up on this true story election madness, he really might be
ignoring a real shot at a Pulitzer.(29 Nov 11)
RAVES to the folks at Not Enough Said for monitoring the ongoing Election Day From Hell mess and
posting a list of the Absentee Ballot voters. Revealed are two people who voted twice, by absentee
ballot and in person at the polls. Now here's where it gets even weirder. RANTS that it appears
that the Election Board last week approved these two of 31 absentee ballots, even though the
Election Bureau seemingly noted that the 2 voted at the polls and voided the 2 absentee ballots. As
per today's Trib article, "The uncounted ballots include 29 absentees that were accepted by the
Election Board after public hearings. They had totaled 31 as of last week, but 2 were automatically
voided on Monday because both voters appeared in person at the polls to vote on Election Day, said
Sheryl Heid, solicitor for the Election Bureau." So if we can believe what we read, RANTS of the
most inexcusable kind that the Election Board approved 2 absentee ballots 6 days ago after the
Election Bureau indicated on the list given to the board that the persons voted in person as well.
RANTS that the board obviously approved a list that they spent 4 hours last week discussing,
without reading it before or during a public hearing, and RANTS that the soicitor missed the
glaringly obvious mistake as well. RANTS that it took them all 3 more days to correct the mistake.
RANTS that the Election Bureau embarrassed us, even more than we previously thought possible,
at Dave Lohr's hearing before Judge Warman, by going on ...
about that office's two failed time-stamp machines that made it impossible to determine when the
absentee ballots actually arrived at that courthouse office from the post office. Barney and Andy
would not have had such a dilemma, meanwhile. Neither would Gomer nor Goober. A respectful nod
to Judge Warman for asking if the post office had ever really been officially deemed as the
county's recipient of absentee ballots and seeming to want actual proof. RANTS that the saga
continues so unresolved, and that it seems that even 2 more absentee ballots who voted in person
at the polls are still approved and in the count. (1 Dec11)
RAVES, once again, to the folks at Not Enough Said, for delivering results of today's still unofficial
count of absentee and provisional voter ballots opened at the Election Bureau's scheduled meeting
-- way ahead of any newspaper accounts online, too, we might add. As per NES's online tallly, which
we have no doubt is accurate, Commissioner Angela Zimmerlink holds an 18-vote lead over candidate
Dave Lohr. To be added will be any ballots that the county Election Board rejected last week that
Judge Warman rules should count. Lohr asked the court yesterday to reverse 18 of those
previously rejected ballots. (1 Dec11)
Neither a RANT nor a RAVE, but a link to today's Trib story that states Zimmerlink leads Lohr by
15 votes following the opening of absentee and provisional ballots yesterday. The local paper,
meanwhile, chimed in with an 18-vote lead overnight. (2 Dec11)
Neither a RANT nor a RAVE, but an editor's comment on some incoming mail, wondering if we've
''gone soft'' here or lost our edge because I did not name a well known person with significant
political ties who voted by absentee ballot and showed up at the polls in the general election last
month. As per the numerous poll workers and state voter reps with whom we've talked, voters who
cast an absentee ballot can show up at the polls to vote if able to do so. The well known woman
named in various other places did not show up to vote in place of a deceased sister, neighbor or
aquaintance, or under any kind of unusual circumstances that are illegal. The poll worker or the
election bureau voided the absentee ballot. as was shown clearly on the list that displayed for
public viewing in the election bureau. The fault here lies entirely with the election board,
previously criticized here or not reading an absentee ballot list thoroughly and approving this
woman's already voided absentee ballot. So it doesn't matter here if the local paper did or did not
include her name or that the Trib today did feature it in the "Whispers" column. Her name here
would be newsworthy only if she actually committed fraud, and she did not.... so RANTS to the Trib
for not also mentioning that the election board royally scewed up by approving her already voided
absentee ballot and wrongly threw that woman's famous last name out there into controversy. We
stand behind the decision not to print her name and to RANT the election board and solicitor for
fault. (4 Dec11)
RANTS that we have no winner declared yet in the race for the third seat on the county's board of
commission. In the meantime, here's something to read while waiting for Judge Warman's decision.
(5 Dec11)
RAVES to Judge Ralph Warman for rejecting Dave Lohr's appeal on the mere basis of fact. The
judge ruled that the post office never was formally designated to be the county's recipient or the
equivalent of a county election bureau office to receive absentee ballots the week prior to the
election. In regard to receiving late absentee ballots after the close of business on the Friday
prior to an election, as per state laws, the judge wrote, "This language is mandatory and the code
does not contain any provision permitting the Election Bureau to designate another location for
receipt of absentee ballots." The 18 ballots that Lohr contested were among a whopping total of 84
received in the Election Bureau after the 4Nov11 deadline. Many of those were previously accepted
by the county board and entered into the official vote counts. Again, RAAAAAANTS to the
Fayette County Election Board and solicitor for misinterpreting the law so pathetically and
arrogantly wrong and embarrassing us in news articles and blogs across the country in the process.
It is unknown whether Lohr will appeal Warman's decision or concede the election, and unknown
whether there will be an official recount... But we do know that election campaign expense reports
are due in just a few more days... and those should be some staggering figures to try to swallow
with morning tea. (6 Dec11)
RANTS that Dave Lohr is being blamed for two local school boards having to delay their annual
reorganizational meeting that should have been held by the end of this first week in December.
RANTS -- where fair RANTS are due, and everyone in unison -- to the Fayette County Election
Board for causing this delay. Lohr's appeal took just 6 days. Meanwhile, the Election Board started
the chain reaction of events back on 9Nov11 by announcing a delay in reading 30 absentee ballots.
From there, the board met on 15Nov, 16Nov, 18Nov and 23Nov and 1Dec in marathon sessions, over
ballots that should never have been discussed or counted, since they were not in the Election
Bureau's possession until after 4Nov, the state's deadline. The board caused a 22-day delay. So it
was unfair that the school boards' solicitor blamed Lohr entirely for the delay in the article in
today's local paper -- oh, which reminds us. RANTS to the Herald-Standard for not writing the
whole story again, possibly to make the Election Board look good. The casual reader would have
read the story today about Lohr's challenge and assumed that the judge agreed with the Election
Board because the board knew what it was doing. Nope, not so! The board never knew what it was
doing from Day 1. Judge Warman's decision confirms so. (6 Dec11)
RAVES to Commissioner Angela Zimmerlink, following the county election board listing her yesterday in
the ballot certification process as the top vote getter for the third commissioners' seat. Next follows
a 5-day period for possible appeals. Not fully ready to celebrate a victory yet, she, in her own wise
words this evening, says that "anything can happen" still. (7 Dec11)
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