If anywhere, it would be here in Ohio.

But, actually, I think the NY Times editorial went a little further than the actual issue. From what I understand (based on NPR and a quick Google News search of local sources) Blackwell is trying to challenge Strickland's right to VOTE, not his place on the ballot.

If this sentence is correct, then those are one and the same: "If Mr. Strickland was not a qualified voter, he would be prohibited from running for governor."

God damn, that Blackwell is a sleaze. He makes Katherine Harris look like a saint in comparison. When are the real Christians going to stand up against these freaks who are corrupting their faith?

Then there's his "I'm just sayin'" attempt, aided by the state GOP, to brand Strickland as "pro-pedophilia."

http://www.talkingpointsmemo.com/archives/010430.php

Um. Dan. This was an editorial in the NYT -- yesterday. Old news.

more scary than the "technicality" issue (as i recall, it's actually that strickland has TWO ohio addresses, which could get him purged as a voter, and thus ineligible to run with less than three weeks to the election)is this machiavellian maneuver:

http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2006/10/18/85915/109

blackwell is purging voter registrations like crazy by:

1] sending out deceptive "test" mailing to targeted voters (read: likely dems)with 'opt-in' style fine print stating that if the recipient does not respond to the mailing, they will be ineligible to vote. (by nature of being called a test, it does not need to go to all ohio voters)

2] the deadline for response falls after the primary--so these voters are eligible in the primary and think they're all set to vote in the general. surprise! we didn't get a response so you're out.

3] people smart enough to read the fine print are showing up to re-re-register and finding that minute details are getting them purged (this ID says "Jr", this one does not--you're out. College student switched dorms, you're out. Etc.)

4] Deibold machines. Nuff said.

and this is why rove and bush are 'optimistic' about november. it's happening in four battleground states.

do not concede!!

I live in Ohio and everybody I know fucking hates Ken Blackwell. I turned 18 last year and I'm very proud to have the chance to help throw him out of office.

I got the fuck out of Ohio, but I'm looking forward to this election so I can quit hearing about rigged voting machines. When Strickland wins in a landslide the people throwing out these conspiracy theorists will have to quietly remove themselves from the public eye.

Of course if Blackwell wins, it will be so obvious that the machines are rigged that I will retroactively pretend that I knew it all along.

Wow, rereading my comment it becomes obvious that I'm a product of Ohio public schools.

A high-school friend went to Oberlin, and the touch screen voting machines _his_ colleagues and pals* registered in Democratic counties did something quirky: after voting Kerry, progressive local candidate, progressive issue, etc. the "confirmation screen" showed they had voted... Nader. Yep. They went to the poll workers and it was duly noted.

*(a little shaky, yeah, but he's not known for his flights of fancy)

My partner had a similiar flaky machine thing happen when he voted in the primary last spring. The poll workers ended up retiring the machine. Coincidence?