Election Day has its (dirty) tricks, too

Richard Byrne Reilly - October 28, 2004

Somebody is campaigning hard to confuse Allegheny County voters ahead of Election Day.

At the Ross Park Mall, for example, people are distributing leaflets printed on bogus, but official-looking, county stationery telling Republicans to vote Tuesday, Nov. 2, and Democrats to wait a day.

The election will be over on Nov. 3.

The fliers have succeeded in spreading confusion, and county officials spent parts of Wednesday fielding phone calls from residents.

"We don't know who is behind it," said Elections Division Manager Mark Wolosik, who received a copy yesterday afternoon.

Wolosik's office referred the case to the county police, who have launched an investigation to determine who is behind the disinformation campaign. Officials say the fliers also turned up in mailboxes of homes in the North Hills.

The letter reads in part: "Due to the immense voter turnout that is expected on Tuesday November 2 the state of Pennsylvania has requested and extended the voting period ... Voters will be able to vote on both November 2 and November 3."

The letter is signed by "Anne Ryan," and a phone number on the flier rings in Tampa, Fla. Workers there reached by telephone denied any knowledge of the flier.

County officials say the flier is part of the political shenanigans that accompany a hotly contested presidential race.

Still, Wolosik said, "The matter is now a criminal investigation."

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