Franklin Co OH Glitch-Up to 35,000 Voters Might Have Voted Provisionally Erroneously

[mod mom]

PROVISIONAL BALLOTS
Brunner scolds Franklin County for glitch

Thursday, November 6, 2008 3:30 AM

By Mark Niquette and Barbara Carmen
THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH

Secretary of State Jennifer Brunner criticized the Franklin County Board of Elections yesterday for a glitch involving provisional ballots Tuesday and had little sympathy for complaints about paper ballots delaying vote results.

Brunner said it was "clearly unacceptable" that up to 35,000 county voters might have had to cast a provisional ballot instead of a regular ballot because of a problem with the county's voter database.

While a regular ballot is counted on election night, provisional ballots -- which typically are cast by voters who don't have proper identification or move and don't update their registration -- are held for 10 days to verify eligibility.

"We'll be closely monitoring that situation, and we will work with the board to determine why the error occurred so that we can prevent that from happening again," Brunner said.

A data-processing error is thought to be responsible for flagging qualified voters in poll books, along with those whose address-verification cards were returned in the mail as undeliverable. Those voters are required to cast a provisional ballot.

-snip

http://www.dispatchpolitics.com/live/content/local_news/stories/2008/11/06/copy/look_ahead.ART_ART_11-06-08_B1_FABQEVB.html?adsec=politics&sid=101

[amdezurik]

1. by definition a "glitch" is not under human control

it is about time we retire that word in these cases...

[unpossibles]

2. hm. A 'glitch' in Hamilton County

delayed the final results all evening.

Funny how that happens.

[stillcool]

3. Jennifer Brunner should get the..

hero of the year award. What she has done, against all odds in the State of Ohio, is astounding.

[mod mom]

4. I believe this woman's career will sky-rocket. She is very competent, hard working and determined.