Dirty Tricks in Ohio or Innocent Mistake?

My latest opinion is that this election is going to come down to Ohio (again). If Obama wins the same states as Kerry in 2004 then he'll get 252 votes. The he needs either OH or a combination of VA with CO or NM (or both) to get to 270. I think getting VA with CO or NM will be a stretch, so it really comes down to OH.

"About one-third of the absentee ballot applications received at the Hamilton County Board of Elections have been ruled invalid because Republican Sen. John McCain’s presidential campaign printed a version of the form with an extra, unneeded box on it. In a narrow interpretation of Ohio law, Democratic Secretary of State Jennifer Brunner says many of the McCain forms have not been completed properly. If the box stating the person is an eligible elector -- or qualified voter – is not checked, Brunner said, the application is no good. Even though the box is unneeded, by not checking it voters are essentially admitting they’re not eligible, Brunner said. “I have not seen a ruling that indirectly impacts voters to the enormity of this since I’ve been here,’’ Hamilton County Board of Elections Deputy Director John Williams said of his nearly five-year tenure at the board." Ballot snafu endangers votes | Cincinnati Enquirer | Cincinnati.Com