Features

Boxer Challenges Ohio Vote, Urged on by Local Activists By JAKOB SCHILLER

Friday January 07, 2005

On Wednesday, one day before Sen. Barbara Boxer decided to sign a Democratic challenge to Ohio’s electoral votes, a father/daughter pair from Berkeley marched into her Washington D.C. office and delivered a letter urging her to do just that. 

Although they doubt their letter was the deciding factor, George Coates and his daughter Gracie, 14, were overjoyed on Thursday when they heard Boxer had indeed decided to challenge the electoral votes. To celebrate, they joined a march through the rain that ended at a rally in front of the Senate building. 

“I was so excited this morning I was screaming,” Gracie said. As a freshman at Berkeley High, she is getting extra credit from her English teacher, Rick Ayres, for making the trip. Her dad is filming the trip and posting it to his blog, betterbadnews.com. Gracie also plans to show the video in her media class.  

“I’ve been really into this,” she said. “It’s an important issue for me because I know that more people voted for Kerry. I think the Bush administration needs to be caught for the votes they stole. 

Boxer’s decision to join Democratic Representatives in the House in challenging the electoral votes forced both houses of Congress to have up to a two-hour debate on the issue. It also interrupted the tallying of the electoral votes for only the second time in the country’s history. The first delay happened in 1877.  

“I have concluded that objecting to the electoral votes from Ohio is the only immediate way to bring these issues to light by allowing you to have a two-hour debate to let the American people know the facts surrounding Ohio’s election,” Boxer wrote to Rep. Stephanie Tubbs Jones, D-Ohio, one of the protest leaders in the House. 

“I will therefore join you in your objection to the certification of Ohio’s electoral votes.” 

A litany of complaints, such as too few voting machines in Democratic precincts and misconduct by the Ohio secretary of state, who doubled as the Bush-Cheney co-chairman for Ohio, have continued to be made against the Ohio vote count since the election.  

Several members of the Democratic protest also cited a report released by the House Judiciary Committee which found “numerous, serious election irregularities in the Ohio presidential election,” that resulted in “significant disenfranchisement of voters,” to support their challenge.  

Both houses ultimately voted against the challenge Thursday. Only Boxer voted yes in the Senate and their debate took less than the allotted two hours. A more fiery exchange took place in the House, where 31 Representatives objected to certifying the electoral votes. 

“I’m disappointed,” said Gracie after the vote. “I think the Senate should be ashamed of itself.” 

At the same time, she said the experience had taught her a lot.  

“I’m glad I’m getting an early start in getting involved in politics,” she said. “I think everyone should start as early as they possibly can.” 

“I also think we need to elect more senators like Barbara Boxer,” she added.1