DNC to Investigate Ohio Voting Irregularities

Tara Wall, a spokeswoman for the Republican National Committee, said Democrats should investigate claims against themselves as well as those against their opponents.

"The Democrats need to look at the intimidation and voter disenfranchisement that took place on their behalf in Colorado, Ohio, Illinois and Pennsylvania," she said.

"There were 68 cases in 16 states that county clerks and agencies were reporting thousands of suspicious registrations, including dead people, fictional characters like Dick Tracy and Mary Poppins, and people who lived on vacant lots," Wall said.

Those challenging the Ohio vote include more than Democratic officials. Lawyers representing voters said they are prepared to take their claims of long lines and faulty voting machines, mostly in African American communities, to the Ohio Supreme Court. Third-party candidates said they plan to file requests for a recount in each of Ohio's 88 counties.

Daniel J. Hoffheimer, state legal counsel for the Kerry-Edwards campaign in Ohio, said the campaign welcomes the investigation and challenges.

"While the election of the Bush-Cheney ticket . . . is all but certain," he said, "there have been many problems before, on and since Election Day that warrant a close look to assure that every citizen's lawful vote is fully protected at all stages of the electoral process."

John Fortier, a research fellow for the American Enterprise Institute, said he would welcome an investigation, as long as it was nonpartisan and helped to improve election reform.

"I would welcome a report," Fortier said, but "I don't think this will be the only one."

Fortier said the election was not close enough for any challenge in Ohio or elsewhere to change the outcome. "But there's more to be done with election reform," he said. "If people have certain documents that move things along, yes, I welcome them."