DaytonDailyNews.com

XENIA — Hours after Ohio Democratic officials slammed Greene County Sheriff Gene Fischer for seeking early voter registration information, he withdrew his request for 302 new voter registrations.

Fischer cited a U.S. District Court decision on Thursday, Oct. 9, ordering Secretary of State Jennifer Brunner to check new registrants who voted early against existing state databases as the reason for backing away from his records request.

But later Friday, Brunner filed for an emergency appeal of the district court decision.

Candice Hoke, director of the Center for Election Excellence, said state databases are unreliable for checking registrations because voters who use different forms of their name or nicknames on registration forms could be incorrectly disqualified.

"Voting rights should be protected by the court and not subject to such problems," Hoke said. "It puts an intolerable burden on boards of elections at this point in the election cycle."

Fischer, a Republican, had requested registration cards and address change forms for all 302 people who took advantage of early voting, claiming he had been inundated with calls about possible fraud.

"I had no idea it would spin this way," Fischer said.

Columbus Mayor Michael Coleman and Ohio Democratic Party Chairman Chris Redfern slammed Fischer's request in a Friday conference call. Coleman and Redfern said they believe many of the 302 registrations were filed by students of the county's five colleges and universities, including two historically black schools.

"Is this Boss Hogg or Bull Connor?" Coleman said, referring to the bumbling 1980s TV sheriff and the 1960s Alabama segregationist. "It's either a joke or pure 21st century in your face voter intimidation."

Ellis Jacobs, of the nonpartisan Miami Valley Voter Protection Coalition, said Ohio boards of elections already have checks and balances to protect against voter fraud.

"What the sheriff was doing was not investigating voter fraud, but voter intimidation," Jacobs said. Contact the reporter at (937) 225-2342 or cmagan@DaytonDailyNews.com