The race for Columbia Township Trustee may be decided by a Hamilton County court.
Ohio Secretary of State Jennifer Brunner has denied a request by the Hamilton County Board of Elections to let 124 township voters cast new ballots in the election.
The reason?
The names of the three township trustee candidates were mistakenly left off the ballot.
The problem was discovered soon after voting began Tuesday morning at the Fairfax Recreation Center.
Len Hughes, whose wife was one running for trustee, alerted the Board of Elections.
Replacement ballots were printed and in the hands of poll workers by 10:00 a.m.
However, 124 voters who either voted early or cast their ballot before the problem was discovered, never got the chance to vote for trustee.
Elections Board President Alex Triantafilou wanted to allow them to vote a second time – with the correct ballot.
Brunner said no – that state law doesn't permit it.
Triantafilou wanted to withhold the results of the race so those who didn't get to vote would not be unduly influenced.
Again, Brunner said no.
So, the two candidates with the most votes on the correct ballots will be elected.
The only challenge remaining to the third place finisher will be taking the matter before a judge.
All 124 people are known to elections officials, according to Triantafilou, but they won't be able to vote.
"The law needs to be changed," Triantafilou added.
Ironically, only a small portion of the voters in one precinct were casting ballots for Columbia Township Trustee – an area that will be annexed to Fairfax on January 1, 2010 – the same day as the new trustees are sworn in.
