Protesters push to have late absentee ballots counted

Louise Amato stood outside the State Board of Elections office at 1100 Bank St. in Richmond yesterday and held up a large sign that read: "Those who count the votes, decide everything."

She was quoting the Soviet dictator Josef Stalin and making the point that late absentee ballots from military personnel serving in Iraq, Afghanistan and elsewhere should be counted.

"Support our troops, let them vote," read a sign held by Jim Smyers, who helped organize the protest on behalf of the Richmond Liberty Alliance, an offshoot of the Tea Party movement.

There were more police officers than protesters in the early stages of the demonstration. At the peak, about 35 people showed up, Smyers said.

"Not as big as I hoped," he added.

The State Board of Elections announced Tuesday that 16 of Virginia's 134 localities failed to make ballots available for absentee voting at least 45 days before the Nov. 3 election. The state already is under a federal court order to count about 2,100 ballots from last year's presidential election, even though the count won't change the outcome.

Of particular concern was the failure to count certain ballots mailed by military personnel serving overseas because the ballots weren't mailed in time by certain Virginia localities and then returned in time to be counted by Election Day.

Vicki Williams, absentee-voting coordinator for the State Board of Elections, said that just because a few ballots were mailed from the 16 localities a day or so late, it doesn't mean they won't be received in time to be counted. They must be received by 7 p.m. Tuesday, Election Day, she said. She did not know how many ballots were at stake.

Richmond Registrar J. Kirk Showalter said Richmond should not have been included on the list of 16 late localities, because the ballots sent through the mail were mailed 46 days in advance. The deadline is 45 days.

Contact Tyler Whitley at (804) 649-6780 or .