I Said You WILL Vote

Voter Says He Was Choked By Poll Worker; Arrest Made

Nov 7, 2006 04:50 PM EST

(LOUISVILLE) -- A poll worker on Louisville's south side was arrested a few hours after the polls opened Tuesday and charged with assault, wanton endangerment and interfering with an election. It happened in the 3000 block of Fern Valley Road at the United Auto Workers Hall around 9 a.m.

Emotions apparently got out of hand and a fight erupted between the poll worker, Jeff Steitz, and the voter, William Miller.

Election officials were not allowed to comment on the incident, but Paula McCraney, spokeswoman for the Jefferson County Clerk's office, says the poll worker was accused of choking and pushing William Miller out the door.

Joe Lannan with the Jefferson County Sheriff's Department told us they got a call "about 8:30 or a quarter of nine that there was a problem at a polling place, the United Auto Workers Union Hall on Fern Valley Road. And there was an allegation of a voter being assaulted. We sent some deputies out there to investigate and they found there was a victim and witnesses to an assault on a voter by a poll worker."

Lt. Col. Carl Yates says the dispute began when the voting machine rejected Miller's ballot, and Steitz told him the machine wouldn't accept because Miller hadn't voted for any judges.

That's when Miller told Steitz he knew nothing about the judge's race and had no intention of voting for a candidate he knew nothing about. The two men began arguing and Steitz allegedly grabbed Miller by the neck and pushed him out the door.

Yates says Miller tried to come back in and was pushed back outside a second time. The police were called, and when deputies arrived they interviewed Miller and other witnesses before taking Steitz into custody.

I've said it before, and I'll say it again - you just don't mess with South End folks.  They sure will stand by their convictions.  And they'll kick your ass if you don't vote for their candidates.