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Title: Election worker bites voter's nose outside Cleveland polling place
Source:
The Plain Dealer
URL Source: http://blog.cleveland.com/metro/201 ... _assaulted_by_election_mo.html
Published: Nov 8, 2011
Author: Michael O'Malley, The Plain Dealer
Post Date: 2011-11-08 17:38:52 by Happy Quanzaa
Keywords: None
Views: 292
CLEVELAND, Ohio -- A poll monitor working for the Cuyahoga County Board of Elections, assaulted a voter at a polling place in Cleveland at midday Tuesday, sending the voter to a hospital. Cuyahoga County Board of Elections Director Jane Platten said the monitor, known as a "rover," got into a dispute with a campaign worker over the legal distance campaign workers must be from the polling place door, which is 100 feet. When the dispute at the Gloria Dei Evangelical Lutheran Church on Memphis Avenue seemed to be settled, the rover, James Williams of Cleveland, walked away. Then a nearby voter, Greg Flanagan, defending the campaign worker, mumbled, "You don't have to be such an ass." Williams overheard Flanagan, and according to him and others, Williams attacked. "He heard somebody say something," said Platten. "He walks back and beats up the voter." Flanagan, 49, of Cleveland, said, "He head-butted me. He bit my nose. He tried to bite it off." Andre Bell, the polling location coordinator, pulled Williams off Flanagan. Then, Bell said, Williams jumped into his car and drove off. Flanagan was taken to MetroHealth Medical Center, where he was treated for "human bite," according to the hospital release form. "I just came here to vote," said Flanagan after his release from the hospital later in the afternoon. Cleveland Councilman Kevin Kelley said police were looking for Williams. "We know who he is," said Kelley. "He shouldn't be hard to find. "This is the most heinous act I've ever seen on election day," Kelley added. Rovers are troubleshooters assigned to two to four voting locations. They are a mix of Democrats, Republicans and independents. Platten said Williams, an independent, has been working with the board each election since 2006. "We've never had a problem with him until this point," she said. Platten said that during every election, there are disputes over where campaign workers can stand to pass out literature. "Every election we have arguments and heated discussions over the 100-foot line," she said.
Voter Greg Flanagan said he was bitten on the nose by a roving judge midday
Tuesday outside the polls at Gloria Dei Luther Church on Memphis Avenue
in Cleveland.
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