Typo lists Republican as Democrat, forcing Robertson off ballot

Central committee member says pollworker errantly marked her as a Democrat.

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By Josh Sweigart, Staff Writer Updated 8:38 AM Friday, February 26, 2010

HAMILTON — Victoria Robertson has been an avowed Republican for decades, working tirelessly for conservative candidates and causes.

That is until a typo by a pollworker changed her party affiliation, elections officials say. Now she can’t even run for re-election to the GOP central committee.

“You’re a Democrat as we speak until the primary, and that cannot be changed until you get the right box checked,” Butler County Board of Elections Chairman Tom Ellis told her at a board meeting Wednesday, Feb. 24 — the deadline to certify the May primary ballot.

The problem happened in 2008 at Robertson’s Wayne Twp. polling place, where she says she voted a Republican ballot — voting for herself for central committee — but the pollworker marked her as voting Democrat.

Board of elections members from both parties took turns expressing how long and hard Robertson has worked for the GOP. But on advice from the secretary of state, they said they can do nothing about it.

“I find it very plausible that someone inadvertently checked the wrong box,” said Ellis, a Republican.

“I find it to be a very disturbing situation,” Democratic board member John Holcomb said. “I think it is really a situation that cries out for procedural reform to take that power away from pollworkers.”

Robertson was one of seven candidates for Republican central committee who were disqualified for pulling Democratic ballots in the 2008 primary. She was the only one to contest it, officials said.

“My history (with the GOP) goes way, way back. Back many, many years ago,” she said.

Further evidence that board members say backs up her claim: She was not asked to sign an affidavit required when people switch parties, and she presented a letter from her polling place’s presiding judge agreeing with her.

“I remember her telling me she wanted a Republican ballot so she could vote for herself,” wrote Rita Beiser, the presiding judge.

Contact this reporter at (513) 820-2175

or jsweigart@coxohio.com.

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