The Opposite of Good

Republican Party officials in Ohio took formal steps yesterday to place thousands of recruits inside polling places on Election Day to challenge the qualifications of voters they suspect are not eligible to cast ballots.

Ohio Democrats were struggling to match the Republicans' move, which had been rumored for weeks. Both parties had until 4 p.m. to register people they had recruited to monitor the election. Republicans said they had enlisted 3,600 by the deadline, many in heavily Democratic urban neighborhoods of Cleveland, Dayton and other cities. Each recruit was to be paid $100.-The New York Times

Just swell. The Republicans have not decided yet whether or not their poll watcher training sessions will be open to the public or the press. Judging by the GOP's love of secrecy (and why wouldn't they love something so effective), it is unlikely that will opt for transparency. I wonder what sort of instructions the vote blockers will receive. Hopefully some clever Democratic Party hacks or enterprising journalists have infiltrated the ranks of these recruits already.