What is This, the 1800’s?

In this technological age of ours, it seems as if one county clerk in Indiana still wants voters to use paper ballots. Is this clerk somewhere where it’s more rural, the population is lower and would make sense to have a cheaper option even though this is the 21st Century? Well, cheaper may be one of the reasons she gives, but if Beth White has her way, voters in Marion County (that’s right, Marion…it’s only the most populous county in the state and home to the State capital) will be using paper ballots in the Special Election on March 11th to decide who will fill the remainder of Julia Carson’s term.

One would have to assume that this is a joke. But even if it was, which it’s not, Marion County GOP Chairman Tom John isn’t taking it as a joke. In a statement release by the Marion County Party, John is quoted as saying:

“Beth White has an obligation to the voters of the 7th District and Marion County to conduct this special election under the same standards as would be expected of any election,” John said. “For Beth White to propose that 7th District voters vote on scraps of paper rather than the electronic systems for which we paid millions of dollars for is ludicrous–simply because White claims she does not have time.”

(Read more of Beth White’s lunacy below the fold)

Here’s the real story though. It’s just not that Beth White doesn’t have the time, but it’s her ineptitude as clerk that has carried over since last year’s debacle of a municipal primary that has financially crippled the Clerk’s office. The simple fact is, the Clerk’s office is broke and barely had enough money to hold two elections this year let alone three. And to top it off, she would still have to pay people to man the polls. Just imagine if Indiana had decided to follow the lead of so many other states and moved up it’s Presidential primary so that our primary would have mattered. I believe she would have gone nuts.

But as it stands, Indy’s newly elected Mayor, Greg Ballard (I know that still bothers the Democrats including those that read this blog) has offered to give city employees a day off as long as they worked the polls to help out the financially bankrupt Marion County Clerk of Courts.

“Simply put, none of the excuses Beth White makes in this resolution should prevent Marion County from conducting the special election as it would any other election,” John said. “This is a matter of leadership and accountability. There is no price too high to pay to ensure the right to vote and a secure election. It is sad that at another critical juncture, Beth White brings into question her ability to capably run an election.”

Can Beth White actually run an election? Don’t let the smoothness of the November general fool you. The test is on. It’s no longer just a question of how many precincts won’t open on the day of the Special thereby disenfranchising voters. It’s also a question of will there be enough paper.