McCain forms confuse Ohio absentees

CINCINNATI, Sept. 11 (UPI) -- Hundreds of Ohio absentee ballot requests using forms distributed by the McCain campaign have been found invalid, elections officials said.

More than 750 applications -- about one-third of the number received so far at the Hamilton County Board of Elections -- have been invalidated because the forms sent to voters by the presidential campaign of John McCain contained a check-off box that was unnecessary, the Cincinnati Enquirer said Thursday.

The questionable part of the form asks an applicant to confirm he is an eligible elector -- that is, a qualified voter. If the box is not checked, Ohio Secretary of State Jennifer Brunner, a Democrat, says the application is rejected.

Hamilton County Board of Elections Deputy Director John Williams, who has served on the board for almost five years, said he had not seen "a ruling that indirectly impacts voters to the enormity of this since I've been here."

Brunner said if a registered voter's application is rejected, the state must notify the applicant within 48 hours. She said officials recommend that the Board of Elections send those applicants a new form.

Letters will be sent out to everyone whose absentee applications were rejected, with instructions on how to fill out the form properly, the report said. Absentee voting in Ohio is scheduled to begin Sept. 30.