A New York Times investigation revealed that Franklin County election officials created

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the number of electronic voting machines assigned to downtown precincts and added

but on past turnout in each precinct and on the number of so-called active voters ­ a

smaller universe. . . . In the Columbus area, the result was that suburban precincts that

supported Mr. Bush tended to have more machines per registered voter than center city

precincts that supported Mr. Kerry."81

The Washington Post also found that in voter-rich Franklin County, which encompasses

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the state capital of Columbus, election officials decided to make do with 2,866 machines,

even though their analysis showed that the county needed 5,000 machines.82

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The Franklin County Board of Elections reported 81 voting machines were never placed

on election day, and Board Director Matt Damschroder admitted that another 77

machines malfunctioned on Election Day.83 However, a county purchasing official who

was on the line with Ward Moving and Storage Company, documented only 2,741 voting

machines delivered through the November 2 election day.84 While Franklin County's

records reveal that they had 2,866 "machines available" on election day.85 This would

mean that the even larger number of at least 125 machines remained unused on Election

Day. Mr. Damschroder misinformed a federal court on Election Day when he testified

the county had no additional voting machines; this testimony was in connection with a

Voting Rights Act lawsuit brought by the state Democratic Party that alleged minority

precincts were intentionally deprived of machines.86

After the election the Washington Post also reported that in Franklin County, "27 of the

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30 wards with the most machines per registered voter showed majorities for Bush. At the

See Powell & Slevin, supra.

Bob Fitrakis, How the Ohio Election Was Rigged for Bush, TH E FR E E PR E S S, Nov. 22,

Franklin County Board of Elections 2004 Election Abstract,

Bob Fitrakis et al., Startling New Revelations Highlight Rare Congressional Hearings

on Ohio Vote, TH E FR E E PR E S S, Dec. 13, 2004.

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