I think it's interesting that the Republican Sec of State has chosen to investigate Lake County - one of the bluest counties in the state... This is the same person who has pushed hard for the voter ID law claiming it's because there's so much voter fraud in Indiana - even though he can't produce one single example. Ugh.

I still worry though about the "nonpartisan" part. I just don't think it's possible! For example, if the position isn't electable anymore then the Guv would be able to appoint someone just as the Prez does. Do you really think that Condi isn't partisan? We'd still end up with a partisan in the office - just one chosen specifically for their partisanship...

"I think it's interesting that the Republican Sec of State has chosen to investigate Lake County - one of the bluest counties in the state..."

I really don't think the blue has much to do with it- Lake Co is one of the most corrupt counties nationwide. I believe East Chicago is where Rokita is putting most of his efforts, a place where prior elections have turned up voters who are dead, voters who were bought off, and votes that were left uncounted.

Rokita may very well be a schmuck, but I don't believe this to be a partisan move. The record of East Chicago, as well as the rest of Lake Co, speaks for itself.

Condi ain't non-partisan, and no one is saying that she is. She's a member of the GOP and raises money for that party and its candidates - both of which would disqualify her from being a non-partisan election official. I'm not saying that they should necessarily be unelected, just not affiliated with a party. Look at Kenneth Blackwell of Ohio and Katherine Harris of Florida. Both were co-chairs of the Bush/Cheney election campaigns, and suddenly the elections in both states get messed up in favor of the GOP. Anyone shocked? And now Todd Rokita, who goes around raising money for the GOP, just might be illegally intimidating voters in a blue county only. Coincidence?

If you take away their ability to raise money for a party or its candidate, and to be a member of a party, then, yeah, I think we'd see an improvement. Blackwell and Harris then would never have become election officials considering that they each had dreams of being rising stars in the GOP and running for higher offices.

Sure, they could still become politicized, like the Bush admin is doing with the USA's, but it's impossible for them NOT to become politicized under our current system where parties can directly fund/bribe election officials!