Thu Mar 18 2010
by Laura Freeman
Reporter
Athens -- A Hudson resident and Ohio University student pleaded guilty to voting twice in the March Primary, but says it was an accident.
Carolyn Kleinert, 21, pleaded guilty to election falsification, a fifth-degree felony, in Athens County Common Pleas Court July 15, according to the Athens County prosecuting attorney's office.
Kleinert, who voted in Summit County via absentee ballot and in Athens County via provisional ballot, said voting twice was an accident.
"I registered to vote absentee in Hudson because I wanted to vote for local issues, but I made a mistake, checking non-partisan, so I wasn't given an opportunity to vote for a presidential candidate in the election," she said in a phone call July 17.
Kleinert said she thought her absentee ballot was void because she didn't vote for a presidential candidate and voted on election day in the Athens election.
"I voted in Hudson on a local issue and voted on a presidential candidate in Athens," Kleinert said.
Kleinert's guilty plea will be held in abeyance while she is in a two-year diversion program, according to the prosecuting attorney's office.
If for two years Kleinert is law abiding and pays her fees, which include court costs, any restitution and diversion fees, the felony will be wiped off her record, according to the prosecuting attorney's office.
If Kleinert violates her diversion program, she would be brought back into court where her guilty plea would be accepted, and she would be punished.
Kleinert said she is required to do community service for one year and one day and plans to start a soon as possible.
She said she will earn her degree in education after two more quarters of classes.
Athens Board of Elections Director Debbie Quivey said Kleinert told officials she never received her absentee ballot from Summit County and voted in the Democratic primary in Athens using a provisional ballot.
On the envelope of her provisional ballot, Kleinert indicated she wanted to change residency from Summit County to Athens County, Quivey said.
"Every general election two or three [voters] get caught up in the moment [and vote more than once]," Quivey said. "I don't think they realize we contact other counties and verify their votes."
The Board of Elections discovered the violation when checking provisional voters and referred Kleinert to the prosecuting attorney's office, Quivey said.
Kleinert advises others to research before voting.
"Everyone I talked to didn't know what I did was illegal," Kleinert said. "Know your facts before you vote in a primary election."
E-mail: lfreeman@recordpub.com
Phone: 330-688-0088 ext. 3150
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