The latest on the ballot tampering scandal in Clackamas County

Kari Chisholm FacebookTwitterWebsite

The ballot tampering scandal in Clackamas County is exploding in a number of ways. No matter what happens on Election Day, this is going to be a story for months.

"I would hate for us to be unwilling to learn if the problem goes deeper," Lininger said. "While it's good this person was caught this time, we don't know how many times this may have happened in the past. There have been quite a number of elections irregularities and problems over the past many years."

On the jump, Lehan's questions...

  • At what time did the alleged tampering occur and who observed it?

  • Are there video tape records available? If so, please provide them as soon as possible to the Board of County Commissioners for review.

  • If there are video tape records, have they been reviewed and has any review discovered any irregularities such as blind spots in the room or unexplained shut-offs or gaps?

  • How many General Election ballots were handled by the employee alleged to have tampered with ballots?

  • Have those ballots been separated or quarantined?

  • If they have been separated, when and how will they be examined for evidence of tampering?

  • If more ballots appear to have been tampered with, what will happen to them?

  • How many election cycles has that employee worked?

  • Was the employee a full-time county employee, temporary worker or volunteer?

  • How many temporary workers and volunteers have been involved in the November 6, 2012 election?

  • Please describe the screening process used to evaluate temporary workers and volunteers before they are hired.

  • What assurances do we have that this incident is limited to only one worker?

  • Please explain the security measures and safeguards that were in place to prevent ballot tampering prior to the current incident.

  • Please explain any additional or different measures that are in place now.

  • Who has access to the Elections Office 24/7?

  • How and by whom is the Elections Office secured?

  • Why did the Elections Office call the West Linn police to stop campaign volunteers from collecting ballots in West Linn on November 2, 2012?

  • Who made that request and at the direction of whom did the Elections Office employee act?

Lots of good questions there. What are your questions?

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    Despite having never held any elected office, I'm sure Knute Buehler would know just how to sort this mess out, ain't that right, Oregonian?

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    It looks like this is a confined incident involving one person, and the affected ballots can be also isolated. It would be interesting to know if this person was acting in concert with a campaign or other persons acting with a campaign or candidate.

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      It looks like this is a confined incident involving one person, and the affected ballots can be also isolated.

      I don't think there's any way to know that for certain.

      We can all hope that's the case, but that's the very direction the investigation needs to go in.

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    This strikes at the heart of democracy-- free and fair elections. If this woman is found guilty, she should get the max. And they need to determine best they can if she or others in the office have tampered with previous election results, and what Sherry Hall's involvement was in this.

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    If others are involved they can offer her a plea deal . This is how they do it on Law and Order.

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    "...The initial ballot suspected of being tampered with on Oct. 31 "is evidence" and is not expected to be counted in the Nov. 6 election, County Counsel Stephen Madkour said. Because the ballot was removed from the secrecy envelope, there is no way to identify or contact the original voter, he said." (Zheng article)

    The audacious and criminal action of an individual has disenfranchised an unknown voter. Every Republican voter in Clackamas County who cast his or her ballot as described is now wondering if his or her voice has been heard. That it is one, now two, maybe/probably more ballots that have been altered is a scandalous attack on our democratic process.

    Certainly it is unfair to that unknown Republican voter; certainly it will be unfair to the candidates who will lose votes because of altered ballots. But that one elections official, even as a volunteer, was entrusted with a hallowed duty, one to be executed with attention to detail, respect and honor. She has damaged individuals, but she has defiled our most honored political process.

    There are not enough adjectives to describe about my sentiments about this act, and few that are printable.

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      http://www.blueoregon.com/2012/11/breaking-ballot-tampering-suspect-identified-and-shes-right-wing-activist/

      Perpetrator has been IDed and is (er...was) a temporary employee.

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