State has backup plan for voting emergencies

Ohio election officials are preparing to deal with hundreds of lawyers.
CLEVELAND (AP) -- Whether it's record voter turnout, the threat of terror, a blackout or even an accident involving a car carrying ballots to be counted, Ohio's elections boards are planning as never before for one of the most intense and anticipated Election Days in the nation's history.
"We're trying to cover all four corners," said Michael Vu, elections chief in the state's most populous county, Cuyahoga.
The board has installed metal detectors, issued employee security cards, and come up with a "Doom's Day" plan should a threat or worse force elections officials to move to an undisclosed, secure location away from Cleveland.
On the checklist
There is much more to the Nov. 2 plan that's been in the works for more than year and cost hundreds of thousands of dollars. Dealing with a power outage, handling bad weather, managing unruly crowds and having extra voting machines and ballots are on the checklist.
A police officer will escort all poll workers delivering ballots to the board for counting. Authorities had to retrieve ballots one year after the car they were in was involved in an accident, Vu said.
Vu and other Ohio elections officials also are planning for the hundreds of lawyers and others expected to be in and around polling places in the state both presidential campaigns say is a must-win.
Cuyahoga elections workers had a dress rehearsal last week to practice political party challenges. State law allows registered representatives inside Ohio's polling places to question the legality of voters' registrations.
Republicans say they plan to do so. Democrats plan to have their lawyers inside the polls, but say they'll only monitor the challenges. That's besides extra poll workers, security and what's expected to be a record number of voters.
"It's going to be very organized," Vu promised.
In Dayton's Montgomery County, the elections board has a contingency plan in case of a terrorist attack. The ballots would be redirected to an undisclosed location for counting.
"We'll have emergency backup power and sheriff's deputies escorting the ballots to a central count," said Steve Harsman, the board's deputy director.
John Williams, director of the Hamilton County Board of Elections in Cincinnati, declined to discuss specific security measures. He said voters won't see armed police officers in polling places because election officials are aware that some voters might find that intimidating.
'A fine line'
"You have to walk a fine line. We are trying to take steps," Williams said. "But we're cognizant of the concerns."
Lt. Kurt Byrd, spokesman for the Cincinnati Police Department, also declined to discuss the security plans for polling places.
"It's not something we want to advertise, what we're doing," Byrd said. "Obviously, it's a different time than it was before Sept. 11, 2001, since the last election time."
Bellwether Stark County is telling voters to prepare for long lines.
"I think the public needs to know they may have to wait a few minutes in line just because of the increased numbers," deputy elections director Jeanette Mullane told The (Massillon) Independent. "People may want to take a few extra minutes when they go to the polls."
Stark will have 1,456 poll workers this year, plenty to keep up with high demand, she said.
Many elections boards mailed notices to voters last week, telling them their correct precincts and polling locations. The voter guides also explain how to use controversial punch-card machines most Ohio counties still have.
Most boards also have been working with the political parties to set ground rules in what is expected to be a closely watched voting day.
State law requires the boards designate a presiding judge at each precinct to help decide challenges. Cuyahoga will call its coordinators, whom Vu said will be nonpartisan referees with supervisory experience. They'll also help with other disputes and be responsible for managing poll workers.