WASHINGTON COUNTY (KFSM) – A local state representative says he wants answers to how candidates’ party affiliations were left off of Washington County digital ballots Monday, the first day of early voting for the November general elections.
Rep. Justin Harris (R – West Fork) is afraid some voters’ voices may not be properly heard because of the electronic ballot glitch. Harris said he may file an official complaint if election officials do not remedy the issue.
County election commissioners met Tuesday morning to address concerns over the ballot problem, after voters and officials noticed Monday morning electronic voting machines did not include party affiliations.
The problem was noticed within the first few voters, and officials temporarily fixed the situation by placing paper ballots, which included parties, next to electronic voting machines for reference, said Jennifer Price, Washington County election coordinator.
(A photograph of this temporary fix can be seen accompanying this story)
She said the problem was fixed in time for the second day of early voting Tuesday.
Harris said that solution may not be good enough. Any candidate involved in a race with a “razor thin margin” will have a legitimate claim to challenge the results because of the ballot glitch, he said.
Election officials should have suspended electronic voting and handed out paper ballots when they found out about the problem, Harris said.
Although Price said election officials have received no complaints from voters, Harris said it is unknown exactly how many voters cast their ballots at Washington County election sites before paper ballots were placed on voting machines. Even just several or dozens of votes could make a difference, Harris said.
The state representative and his wife voted electronically Monday. Harris said he was not told by election site workers the voting machines had any problems. Instead, an on-site worker told him, “There’s a sheet over here if you have any questions,” referring to the paper ballot. Voters being given that instruction are not being told there is a party affiliation problem with the digital ballots, Harris said.
Because of his own experience, Harris fears hundreds of voters may have been led astray by the flawed ballots.
“How many others were not aware of what happened and were not told of the sheet of paper with party affiliations?” Harris said.
The county election coordinator said the issue is an electronic coding mistake. Pre-tests done before early voting showed the machines recognized candidates’ correct party affiliations. Officials later found out the machines know the candidates’ parties, but the affiliation does not show on the screen voters see.
Price said no one’s vote was compromised because of the mistake, and nobody complained that they voted without knowing party affiliations.
