It’s happened again. A student organization that is part of the Barack Obama campaign is apparently breaking the law by trying to get other students to vote for Barack Obama by offering free pizza for votes – this time in Ohio.
The first occurrence reported of this activity was within the last two weeks at Colorado State University. As reported here:
At a polling station for early voting, people working for the Obama campaign set up shop close by and allegedly offered free pizza and t-shirts to students if they took the time to vote.
Now this tactic has spread to Ohio State University, where there are more than 56,000 students. On October 22, Buckeyes for Obama began having early vote rallies. They advertised their events with posters saying: “Free Food. Come Together. Make History.”
Last Thursday, the Ohio Republican Party filed an election complaint with the Franklin County Board of Elections alleging the Buckeyes for Obama student organization violated a law that prohibits offering something of value for a person’s vote.
In the letter of complaint, Ohio Republican Chairman Bob Bennett attached an affidavit quoting an anonymous student staffer working with the Obama campaign saying the campaign has an “unlimited” tab with the pizza chain Donatos for the six rallies. In addition, Bennett’s complaint alleged that participants also got free bumper stickers and free transportation.