Reader Tells of Polling Incident in 49th Ward

Keep sending your stories of violations or possible violations at the 49th Ward polling places. Here is an interesting one; read the whole thing. Hello - I am responding to your request for stories of possible fraud as posted on your blog. Below is a copy of an email sent to David Orr and to the Chicago Board of Elections. I also spoke to the Chicago Board of Elections on the phone last week. Not sure this is what you are looking for, but hope that it helps! I spoke of my concerns to the Chicago Board of Elections on Thursday, as well as included it in my message to David Orr. And, it’s likely you already know this, but there are quite a few vacant buildings within the few blocks that surround my house and many of them had the “Joe Moore - vote for me!” blue cards that were individually addressed to the voter posted on their doors Tuesday. Obviously, the voter no loner lives there and if it would help, I can get those addresses and email them to you tonight when I get home (around 6). They are in the area of Fargo, Seeley, Damen, Jarvis and Hoyne…lots of vacant buildings around there (not to mention Safe Haven, which is really only a temporary residency, so I’m not sure if people are allowed to use those two locations as an official voting address). Christy Xxxxxxxx ________________________________ From: David Orr [mailto:clerkdavid@cookcountygov.com] Sent: Thursday, April 19, 2007 4:12 PM To: Christy Xxxxxxxx Subject: Re: FW: Election Concerns: 49th ward Dear Ms. Xxxxxxxxx, I have hand delivered your email to the Chicago Board of Elections. The telephone number to the Executive Director, Lance Gough, is 312-269-7970. Hope this helps. Sincerely, David Orr ________________________________ KEEP READING - IT GETS MUCH BETTER! ________________________________ >>> "Christy xxxxxx > 04/19/07 10:06 AM >>> David, I am sending this email to you in hopes that you will put it in the proper hands. I have tried numerous times to email the Chicago Board of Elections Commissioners, at the email address provided on their website http://www.chicagoelections.com/contactinfo.htm (which is CBOE@earthlink.net) as well as variations of that email (CBOE@earthlink.com, CBOEC@earthlink.net, CBOEC@earthlink.net). All have bounced and are undeliverable. Can you help me voice my concerns regarding the election on Tuesday? Comments are below. Christy ________________________________ From: Christy Xxxxxxx Sent: Thursday, April 19, 2007 9:47 AM To: 'CBOEC@earthlink.net' Subject: FW: Election Concerns: 49th ward Hello Chicago Board of Election Commissioners, I want to alert someone to a possible problem that occurred in the 49th Ward during Tuesday's election. Please let me know if my comments are being reviewed within this email, or if I need to go to your offices to fill out any type of official paperwork. Location: 7414 N Wolcott: Jordan School Time: Around 6:00 p.m. Date: April 17, 2007 Incident: I arrived at my polling place at around 6 p.m. and after showing my ID, was given a ballot and a pen. After selecting my choice for alderman, I walked over to cast my ballot. I asked the man overseeing the machine if I was holding the ballot correctly for inserting it...he said, "yeah, your fine. Go ahead and put it in." I place my ballad in the machine to cast my vote and ask "is that it? Did it get it?" He said, "yes, you're all done." In which I reply, "The number on the front of the machine is the same as when I walked up here...is that a counter, or is it something else? It didn't move." The man then got up from his chair, took a look at the machine, then at my ballot. He said "looks like the judge forgot to initial your ballot. I need to correct this to count your vote. He then took my ballot away from me, walked over to the other side of the room, then came back and ran it through the machine. The electronic red number on the front of the machine went from 90 to 91. Perhaps this was just one minor incident, but it does create concern that this may have happened to other people as well. Had I not been astute enough to ask about the counter, my vote would have never been counted...did this happen to others who did not raise the question? I also have some concerns regarding the man walking away with my ballot. He was a young kid, that looked honest enough, but I have no way of knowing that he did not bring a different ballot to the machine since mine was taken out of my possession and out of my field of vision. Did the guy cast a vote for me that I did not want? I do not think that is the case, but I do not know. I am hoping that my concerns will be addressed in a timely fashion. Can you tell me if the number of votes counted is compared to the number of ballots given out? I imagine it is, but want to make sure. Also, is it common practice to remove a ballot from a voters possession, before the vote had been cast? This is of grave concern. Thank you for your time and attention to this matter. Kindest regards, Christy