Oregon elections worker suspected of altering ballots
PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) - Investigators have found six ballots that were potentially altered by an elections worker in Clackamas County, but the full extent of the alleged ballot tampering was still under investigation, Oregon Secretary of State Kate Brown said late Tuesday.
The six ballots will be counted if the original voter's intent can be determined, Brown said in a statement. Her spokeswoman, Andrea Cantu-Schomus, said all other ballots will be counted normally.
Campaign operatives watching tight races that could determine control of the Oregon House had the investigation on their minds.
Melissa Unger, who heads Democrats' efforts to win a House majority, said they were concerned. Officials have said the worker is suspected of marking Republican candidates on races the voter left blank.
"We just don't know the scope of the problem yet," she said. "Until we find that out, I think it will be difficult for people to feel comfortable with the results coming out of Clackamas County."
State officials have refused to release more details about the investigation, including how many ballots might have been handled by the worker, whom officials have identified as Deanna Swensen, of Oregon City. She has not been charged.
Jeff Manning, spokesman for Attorney General Ellen Rosenblum, said he couldn't provide details about the investigation or when authorities might be able to release more information.
"There's clearly a lot of angst in Clackamas County," he said. "It's really bad timing, and I can understand there is high anxiety."
County counsel Stephen Madkour said the investigation appeared to be wrapping up, but it would be some time before any conclusions were made public.
Madkour said the alleged tampering was reported last Wednesday by another elections worker sitting at the same table with Swensen processing ballots. The allegation was that Swensen was using a pencil to fill in blanks on ballots that had been filled out in pen.
Clackamas County Republican Chairman John Lee said no races are going to be so close that they could be determined by the small number of ballots identified in the investigation so far.
But Unger said Democrats are keeping an eye on three tight House races that include voters in Clackamas County - districts 37, 40 and 51.
"All three seats would be on anyone's top 10 targeted districts that will decide the majority in the entire state," she said.
Clackamas County Democratic Chairman Larry Skidmore said the election for Clackamas County Commission Chairwoman Charlotte Lehan was also very close.
The six ballots will be counted if the original voter's intent can be determined, Brown said in a statement. Her spokeswoman, Andrea Cantu-Schomus, said all other ballots will be counted normally.
Campaign operatives watching tight races that could determine control of the Oregon House had the investigation on their minds.
Melissa Unger, who heads Democrats' efforts to win a House majority, said they were concerned. Officials have said the worker is suspected of marking Republican candidates on races the voter left blank.
"We just don't know the scope of the problem yet," she said. "Until we find that out, I think it will be difficult for people to feel comfortable with the results coming out of Clackamas County."
State officials have refused to release more details about the investigation, including how many ballots might have been handled by the worker, whom officials have identified as Deanna Swensen, of Oregon City. She has not been charged.
Jeff Manning, spokesman for Attorney General Ellen Rosenblum, said he couldn't provide details about the investigation or when authorities might be able to release more information.
"There's clearly a lot of angst in Clackamas County," he said. "It's really bad timing, and I can understand there is high anxiety."
County counsel Stephen Madkour said the investigation appeared to be wrapping up, but it would be some time before any conclusions were made public.
Madkour said the alleged tampering was reported last Wednesday by another elections worker sitting at the same table with Swensen processing ballots. The allegation was that Swensen was using a pencil to fill in blanks on ballots that had been filled out in pen.
Clackamas County Republican Chairman John Lee said no races are going to be so close that they could be determined by the small number of ballots identified in the investigation so far.
But Unger said Democrats are keeping an eye on three tight House races that include voters in Clackamas County - districts 37, 40 and 51.
"All three seats would be on anyone's top 10 targeted districts that will decide the majority in the entire state," she said.
Clackamas County Democratic Chairman Larry Skidmore said the election for Clackamas County Commission Chairwoman Charlotte Lehan was also very close.
In Milpitas California FBI where harassing me at a polling station. They may have compromised election polling here.
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My dog was poisoned to death, a stolen car was run into the front of my house, gang members are harassing me, I get death threats, BB guns are being shot at my car when I drive, my car is being tampered with, money and jewelry has been stolen out of my house,  out bicycling they tried to run me over with their cars, etc...
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Several years ago, I called the San Francisco Attorney General's office to complain that FBI and DEA employees where fabricating evidence and stealing from me.
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The FBI and DEA are dog feces.
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@kathy961@ymail.com Please go see a doctor. I read your other posts and I am concerned for you. It sounds like you are having paranoid delusions, but only a doctor can assess you properly and give you the correct medication you need.
Before you all lay on the coals there, let me remind you that this is one person nationwide. Â We're not talking about organized dealings like what went in in Nevada with Harry Reid and the ballot machines that are defaulting to Obama or maybe Acorn. Â Let's be real and intellectually honest with ourselves now.
Sorry but I don't believe this story one bit. It's more likely that a Dem/Lib made up this story about a bad Republican altering ballots.
 @Robinsnest http://www.bradblog.com/?p=9687  here's more proof!
Kudos to the other elections worker for spotting and reporting this! And - "The allegation was that Swensen was using a pencil to fill in blanks on ballots that had been filled out in pen." - if the work was done in pencil that's a lot easier to find...and many scanners may not even pick up pencil marks...
 @OrcasThunder Good Lord, even the worst-performing burnouts back in middle school were smart enough to use a similar writing implement to fraudulently change grades on their report cards!Â
Just how dense is this pathetic moron, anyway?Â
Are we surprised? The Republicans were screaming about voter fraud, and here we have it.....on their side!
there will be enough voter fraud in this election to satisfy everyone.
HMMM Voter fraud. Maybe the GOP has something there... Of course it appears in all the documented incidents of voter fraud its the GOP being fradulant. SHAME ON YOU GOP!
hmm. seems one of the parties does more of this sleazy stuff than the other(s).....
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 @SwampThing I know! It's amazing what Democrats have been doing over the years.