Let's look at the Afghanistan election vs. Ohio
In Afghanistan, in the first free election in its 85 year history, 8,128,940 presidential votes were cast on election day, October 9, 2004. (Turnout of 83.66% of registered voters.)
Afghanistan is a country with land area of about 251,770 sq miles, just slightly smaller than Texas. Afghanistan is an extremely rugged and mountainous country with some areas totally lacking improved roads; it has only "limited telephone, telegraph, and radio broadcast services." (1)
Following protests that were later withdrawn, snafus involving indelible ink to prevent double voting, and the transport of "some ballot boxes ... brought down from the Hindu Kush mountains by donkey" (2) taking up to 1 week, all of the PAPER ballots, from 30,000 ballot boxes, were hand counted and the election certified on November 3, 2004 --- 25 DAYS AFTER THE VOTE!! UN observers later certified the election as valid.
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Ohio recently conducted is 50th or so presidential election, in the heart of the industrial midwest in the most modern nation in the world.
7,974,670 votes were tallied (71.75% turnout) (98% that of Afghanistan) in the Nov. 2, 2004 election.
With a land area of 44,828 square miles (18% that of Afghanistan), a modern roadway system making all areas of the state accessible to the capital in less the 4 hours by car, a modern telecommunications network linking all areas, and with modern electronic voting and counting machines, and no protests to that delayed vote certification, OHIO TOOK 34 DAYS TO CERTIFY THE PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION VOTE (36% LONGER THAN AFGHANISTAN!!)
Just something to think about... there was no stalling in Ohio... the election there was perfect.
Sources:
(1)
http://www.afghanistan.org/aboutafg.html(2)
http://www.economist.com/agenda/displayStory.cfm?story_id=3283732others not quoted:
http://www.ifes.org/eguide/resultsum/afghan_pres04.htmhttp://www.news.com.au/common/story_page/0,4057,11277117%255E1702,00.htmlhttp://www.sos.state.oh.us/sos/results/11-02-04.htmhttp://www.netstate.com/states/alma/oh_alma.htmhttp://www.worldatlas.com/webimage/countrys/asia/af.htmhttp://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/3631920.stm