Ohio court dismisses election challenges
(Agencies)
Updated: 2005-01-13 08:52

The Ohio Supreme Court on Wednesday dismissed a challenge from voters to the presidential election in light of last week's certification of the electoral vote and the upcoming inauguration.

A lawyer for the plaintiffs, a group of 37 voters, had moved Tuesday to drop the lawsuit, saying it is now moot. The high court agreed without comment to dismiss it.

California Senator Barbara Boxer joined forces with about 20 of her party's legislators in the House of Representatives to contest election results in Ohio which officially gave a victory to George W. Bush by 118,457 votes. [AFP/File]

Citing fraud, the suit had asked the court to examine several problems with voting procedures in the hopes of overturning President Bush's victory in the state.

The election turned on Ohio's 20 electoral college votes, and not until preliminary results were available early Nov. 3 did Democratic presidential candidate John Kerry concede.

Attorney Cliff Arnebeck, who represented the voters, wanted the court to examine several Election Day problems such as long lines, a shortage of voting machines in predominantly minority neighborhoods and problems with computer equipment.

Arnebeck said Tuesday the voters couldn't expect to win the suit given the congressional certification of the electoral votes last week and the inauguration next week.

But Arnebeck pledged that he was not quitting. Without giving specifics, he said he would still pursue challenges in either state or federal courts.

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