Clermont sheriff: No votes being impounded

Amid a swirl of anxiety over the vote-counting in Clermont County, Sheriff A.J. Rodenberg made an unsolicited call to the Enquirer early Tuesday to knock down what he called a "rampant rumor'' that his deputies were seizing ballots cast in Tuesday's election.

"I want you to know that there is no truth in those rumors,'' said Rodenberg. "We would not do that unless we were asked to by the Board of Elections and it would have to be some extraordinary reason for us to do that.''

Apparently, the rumors started circulating after representatives of two 2nd Congressional District candidates - Republican Bob McEwen and Democrat Thor Jacobs - made requests of the board of elections to have campaign observers watch the ballot-counting, after reports that there were problems with some ballots in the Milford School district and because of ballot-counting problems Clermont County has had in recent elections.