MOUNT VERNON — Jacob Smith, a Barack Obama supporter campaigning for the senator in Knox County, will not face charges for registering and voting in Knox County because he misunderstood Ohio’s requirements for residency, according to Knox County Prosecutor John Thatcher.

Smith, a Florida resident, consented to the withdrawal of his ballot following an investigation by the prosecutor’s office. Thatcher believes that action settles any problems that may have resulted from his voting.

“There was no criminal intent. He wasn’t misrepresenting who he was. It was a misunderstanding of the residency requirements,” said Thatcher.

The registration form required to vote in the state of Ohio stipulates “You will be a resident of Ohio for at least 30 days immediately before the election in which you want to vote.” According to Thatcher, it does not address the intent to create a permanent address in the state.

“It isn’t just a matter of being in Ohio for 30 days,” Thatcher said. “It’s to make Ohio your permanent residence. It’s the second part that is important here. Mr. Smith misunderstood the residency requirements.”

The Obama-Biden campaign is pleased with Thatcher’s fair approach and believes Smith did the responsible thing by withdrawing his vote.

“The campaign is confident that staff in the state working for the party and our presidential ticket intend to follow the law and its requirements in his or her particular personal circumstances. To the extend that there has been any uncertainty or confusion, we will work with staff to assure that any questions they have are answered and that they will proceed with the rules,” said Aaron Pickrell, Obama-Biden state director.

Requests for contact information for Smith were denied by Tom Reynolds, state media director for the campaign, who said “field staff are not authorized to talk to the media.”