SC - Machine malfunctions worry Jasper officials

greenspun.com : LUSENET : Grassroots Information Coordination Center (GICC) : One Thread

Machine malfunctions worry Jasper officials By JIM NEWMAN Gazette staff writer

(Published November 7, 2000)

RIDGELAND - With less than 24 hours before the opening of the polls, Jasper County Election Commission officials worry that broken voting machines - and a general lack of them - will make for a rough election.

Election Commission member Barbara Pinckney told Jasper County Council on Monday the commission needs greater autonomy on how and where to store the machines in the future.

"I'm tired of the buck stopping here when it's not always under our control," she said.

Pinckney referred to a shed near the county's public works facility where the voting machines have been stored. She complained that one of the two doors was without a lock, which she suggested may have something to do with the recent malfunction.

A tool box, containing tools that could have been used to repair the machines, also was recently reported stolen from the shed.

"The machines were working two weeks ago during an inspection," she told council members.

Councilman Thomas McClary pondered the possibility of tampering.

"We couldn't see any," Pinckney responded. "But we have found them tampered with before. This is why we need a place where we can turn the key and nobody else can mess with them."

Fears of too many hands in the election count cookie jar also prompted Council Chairman Leroy Sneed to call for a motion that would prohibit county employees from assisting election commission officials during the count.

They normally have helped with various secondary tasks during past elections that were unrelated to actual counting of ballots.

Vice Chairman Danny McKenzie, supporting the idea, said he'd seen many instances during past political events where mistakes were made when posting handwritten counts.

"If I were an employee of the county, I would not want to subject myself to the potential criticism," he said.

Both McClary and Councilman Samuel Gregory, however, thought the idea was unwarranted.

"I think we are too overcautious," McClary protested. "We're looking at shadows that aren't even there."

The idea came as a surprise to Pinckney and other election commission officials.

"We weren't aware there were any problems with county employees until now," she said.

The motion later died following a split vote. Councilman Avery Cleland, the only council member whose vote could have swung the motion either way, was not present.

In addition to being understaffed, Pinckney said there isn't enough space to conduct election

http://www.beaufortgazette.com/localnews/story/0,1458,210583,00.html

-- Doris (reaper@pacifier.com), November 08, 2000

Answers

From the previous day:

Jasper reports voting machine problems Staff reports

(Published November 6, 2000)

Jasper County voters may have to cast their ballots the old fashioned way if three malfunctioning polling machines cannot be repaired before Tuesday.

On Friday the office reported no problems with election preparations. Cathy Morgan, Jasper County director of elections and registration, said she expected about a 50 percent turn)out Tuesday. She said everything was running smoothly and that she foresaw no problems.

But officials discovered Saturday that three of the county's voting machines are not working. Worse, the tools needed to examine them have disappeared.

This turn of events came upon the heels of the news that Jasper County would not receive eight additional voting machines ordered in time for Tuesday's election.

Election Commission member Barbara Pinckney said officials will contact the manufacturer, which is based in Charleston, this morning to request technicians who can examine and possibly repair the machines.

If the machines cannot be repaired, she said, Jasper County will have to use paper ballots.

"They'll have to time the people," she said. "A person has five minutes to vote on a paper ballot, so they'll have to call time." Voters have three minutes to vote by machine; five minutes to vote by paper ballot, she said.

Despite the possibility of having to use paper ballots, Pinckney said voters should not experience lengthy delays. However, it will probably take longer to compile returns.

Poll managers are in place at Jasper's 14 polling places, along with 28 voting machines.

During the primary election, problems with the machine delayed final election results to about 11 p.m. Other results were ready by 7:30 p.m., after polls closed at 7 p.m.

Meanwhile, Beaufort County officials also are expecting a high turnout for Tuesday's election.

On Tuesday, Beaufort County Board of Elections and Voter Registration Executive Director Agnes Garvin predicted a turnout as high as 70 to 75 percent.

By Tuesday, more than 3,500 absentee ballots had been cast, Garvin said. In 1996, only about 2,000 ballots had been cast.

Garvin said 69,791 people are registered to vote in this election in Beaufort County. There will be 61 polling locations open for the county's 70 precincts.

This will be the first general election for Beaufort's new computerized polling system. Garvin and others are hopeful that they can have all returns in as early as 8 p.m.

The polls in all South Carolina counties will be open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Beaufort County returns will be available on the county website: www.co.beaufort.sc.us.

WJWJ will show start showing returns on their government access channels as soon as they come in on Tuesday, which should be some time after 7 p.m.

http://www.beaufortgazette.com/localnews/story/0,1458,210216,00.html

-- Doris (reaper@pacifier.com), November 08, 2000.


Moderation questions? read the FAQ