Athens County, OH: Prosecutor David Warren has confirmed that the Athens County Board of Elections has called for an investigation into allegations of vote tampering after it was revealed that a college group offered students money to bring voters to the polls.
The Ohio University College Democrats has found itself in the middle of a voting controversy. It all started with this e-mail; sent out by Kelli Galan, Vice President of Ohio University College Democrats, encouraging fellow group members to “march to the polls.”
The e-mail reminded students to vote and bring friends “in the same situation.” The e-mail went further than encouraging voting and promised money in return for voters in a specific voting ward. “Remember, if you bring a friend from 4th ward they are more then a friend, they’re 5 bucks!”
The fourth ward is the only contested Athens City Council race between Republican Randy Morris and incumbent Democrat Christine Fahl. The two candidates have been in a bitter battle in recent weeks.
The Athens County Republic Party Chair Pete Couladis is calling on the Athens County Board of Elections and Prosecutor David Warren to investigate the situation. “If money was being paid or offered by the College Democrats to college students or anyone else to vote, this is a serious violation of Ohio’s election laws…Maybe the College Democrats received a stimulus check to help get people to vote,” Couladis said. There is no word from Warren’s office whether an investigation will take place at this time.
The College Democrats says they have not been involved in any type of voter registration fraud. “To be specific: No member of our organization has ever paid a voter to vote. No member has ever accepted money for his or her own vote,” Communications Director Chris Mullen said in a response released last night.
Mullen says the e-mail has been misconstrued. The “5 bucks” is not being used to pay voters; it is part of “an effort by the Athens County Democratic Party to compensate volunteers financially for their time spent canvassing.” According to the College Democrats the program was sponsored by the Athens County Democratic Party and is not something their group started.
A call to Susan Gwinn, Athens County Democratic Party Chair, went unanswered. Couladis, says he still does not know whether an investigation in under-way and suspects if there is one it will not take place until after the election.
According to the Ohio Revised Code, “advance, pay, or cause to be paid or procure or offer to procure money or other valuable thing to or for the use of another, with the intent that it or part thereof shall be used to induce such person to vote or to refrain from voting,” is prohibited.
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