Published: April 29, 2008 11:07 pm      

Absentee ballot requests rejected

UAW officials filled out information on the forms in advance

More than 500 absentee ballot applications in Howard County will be rejected because they were filled out by officials with the United Auto Workers.

Howard County Clerk Mona Myers said the part of the application that designated what party ballot was being requested in the May 6 primary election, the type of ballot and the reason for requesting an absentee ballot were filled out in advance.

Myers said state law prohibits anyone from giving out a pre-filled in absentee ballot application. She said all the applications received were for Democratic Party ballots.

“All the applications for an absentee ballot that were pre-filled out will be rejected,” she said. “There was an attempt to change the application, but you can still see where an “x” was typed.”

The Howard County Election Board will meet at 10 a.m. today in the clerk’s office to formally reject the applications.

Myers said she discussed the applications with county attorney Larry Murrell and the decision was made to recommend that ballot applications be rejected.

Myers said this is the first time she has found an absentee ballot application that was filled out in advance.

The deadline to request an absentee ballot expired on Monday.

“Those people will have to cast a ballot in person,” Myers said. “Either in person at the courthouse or on election day.”

Anyone with questions regarding an absentee ballot request should call (765) 456-2219.

All the questionable documents came from the UAW in Indianapolis, she said. Myers said other Indiana counties have received absentee ballot applications that were filled out in advance.

Myers said there is a provision to assist someone in filling out the application or ballot, but added if a person can sign their name, there is no need for assistance.

Danny Ernstes reportedly told Myers the union didn’t know until too late that they couldn’t fill in the party on the application.

Ernstes with UAW Region 3 office in Indianapolis could not be reached for comment.

Ken de la Bastide can be reached at (765) 454-8580 or via e-mail at ken.delabastide@kokomotribune.com