One of the jokes that I like to tell people is What’s the easiest way to rule the world? Control the Ohio election boards. Well, it looks like the battle to rule the world is in full swing at that most infamous board of elections, Clermont County’s:

The Clermont Sun is reporting that the Republicans on the election board lead by Tim Rudd, a partisan supporter of Jean Schmidt, are refusing to renew the local Democratic Party’s choice for deputy director. Kathy Jones has been a 14-year veteran on the election board but apparently something that she has said or done has caused the Republicans to vote against her returning. This has created a a stalemate leaving Republicans outnumbering Democrats on the board 2-1. Ken Blackwells office has told the Clermont County Democratic Party to pick someone else, but they have refused to do so, stating that she is the best choice for the job.

The strange thing is that no one on either side is saying why the Republicans object to Ms. Jones, indicating that it is a personal private matter between the board members. One of the issues that seems to be at the center of the conflict is over Republican board member Rudd being upset over irregularities being reported in the media involving the 2004 Presidential election vote count, specifically the use of stickers on ballots. Could be this be payback for someone shining some light on the election board’s notorious back room dealings? Since no one is talking your guess is as good as mine.

My advice to Bob McEwen is hire yourself a few good lawyers and camp them out @ Clermont County just in case votes once again magically appear for Jean Schmidt. Like I tell my Republican friends, what they do to us in the general, they do to you in the primary.