GOP says Memphis election cards missing
Official downplays fraud danger
The Associated Press
MEMPHIS -- Tennessee's Republican Party chairman complained to Shelby County election officials that electronic voting machine cards were missing in Memphis, the hometown of Democratic U.S. Senate nominee Harold Ford Jr.
"It has come to our attention that several smart cards used in early voting are missing from at least one early voting site in Memphis, Tenn.," Bob Davis said in a later dated Thursday. "The lack of oversight and control over these smartcards has created a situation which could allow for voter fraud."
The letter called on the commission to "locate these missing smart cards as soon as possible."
Tennessee Election Coordinator Brook Thompson said Friday that even if the cards aren't recovered by officials there is no danger of fraud because they can't be used again.
"The cards are programmed such that once you use them, they cannot be reused until they are reactivated by the Election Commission," Thompson said.
Shelby County Elections Administrator James Johnson didn't immediately return calls seeking comment and wasn't in the office when a reporter stopped by to ask him about the complaint.
Davis did not immediately return a telephone message seeking comment about how the situation came to his attention or what voting site was involved.
Ford, a five-term congressman who is matched against Republican Bob Corker of Chattanooga in the Tuesday election, said he would ask the Shelby County district attorney and sheriff to step aside from the investigation because they are co-chairing Corker's campaign.
"They are good people, both, but they should recuse themselves," Ford said. "If we have to ask the Justice Department to come in and oversee this, we may have to. It's unfortunate that these things happen, but we have authorities — and hopefully independent authorities — that will come in and correct the record."
A spokeswoman for District Attorney Bill Gibbons said his office had not been contacted about the matter. Federal prosecutors didn't immediately return calls seeking comment.
