W.Va. voters say machines are switching votes

[w¡n9Nµ7 §£@¥€r 123]

WINFIELD, W.Va. -- Three Putnam County voters say electronic voting machines changed their votes from Democrats to Republicans when they cast early ballots last week.

This is the second West Virginia county where voters have reported this problem. Last week, three voters in Jackson County told The Charleston Gazette their electronic vote for "Barack Obama" kept flipping to "John McCain".

In both counties, Republicans are responsible for overseeing elections. Both county clerks said the problem is isolated.

They also blamed voters for not being more careful.

"People make mistakes more than machines," said Jackson County Clerk Jeff Waybright.

Shelba Ketchum, a 69-year-old nurse retired from Thomas Memorial Hospital, described what happened Friday at the Putnam County Courthouse in Winfield.

"I pushed buttons and they all came up Republican," she said. "I hit Obama and it switched to McCain. I am really concerned about that. If McCain wins, there was something wrong with the machines.

"I asked them for a printout of my votes," Ketchum said. "But they said it was in the machine and I could not get it. I did not feel right when I left the courthouse. My son felt the same way.

"I heard from some other people they also had trouble. But no one in there knew how to fix it," said Ketchum, who is not related to Menis Ketchum, a Democratic Supreme Court candidate.

Ketchum's son, Chris, said he had the same problem. And Bobbi Oates of Scott Depot said her vote for incumbent Democratic Sen. John D. Rockefeller was switched to GOP opponent Jay Wolfe.

"I touched the one I wanted, Rockefeller, and the machine put a checkmark on the Republican instead," Oates said of her experience Thursday.

She said she caught the mistake, called over a worker in the county clerk's office and was able to correct her vote. But she worries other voters may not catch such a mistake.

When asked if she is sure she touched the box for Rockefeller, she said, "I'm absolutely positive."

Putnam County Clerk Brian Wood said on Saturday that he is upset there are "so many negative stories out there and not enough positive ones. We want people to vote. People need to know the facts.

"But we haven't had any major issues. We try to explain to voters how the machines work then they come in," Wood said.

In Putnam County, early voters have the option of asking for either touch-screen machines or optical scan ballots -- paper ballots on which people mark in their election choices.

Wood said some voters might not realize that touch-screen voting machines may take a few seconds to record their choices.

"The reaction time [on the machines] may be different. And when you hit the screen a second time, it cancels your vote," Wood said. "When you get in a hurry, if you go to fast and hit it again, you can cancel what you just did.

"The main thing people need to remember is that when you are done voting, make sure everybody you wanted to vote for has a check mark beside them," Wood said.

Ketchum said, "I am educated person. I know what I wanted. I am anxious to see who wins.

"My son Chris said, 'Mom, I didn't vote for the people who came up on that machine. I wanted to go back and vote again. I called the lady at the polls and she said it was my fault because of the way I was punching the buttons.'

"I want a paper ballot. I think it was very bad when they did away with paper ballots. I wish you had something in your hand that is a record of how you voted.

"I never felt that way before. It was early voting, so we went over there to get it over with. We won't do that again," Ketchum said.

Last week, three Jackson County residents said they experienced similar problems when they cast early ballots at the county courthouse in Ripley.

Virginia Matheney, one of those voters, said Friday, "When I touched the screen for Barack Obama, the check mark moved from his box to the box indicating a vote for John McCain."

Retired factory worker Calvin Thomas of Ripley said he experienced the same problem.

"When I pushed Obama, it jumped to McCain. When I went down to governor's office and punched [Gov. Joe] Manchin, it went to the other dude.

"After I finished, my daughter voted. When she pushed Obama, it went to McCain. It happened to her the same way it happened to me," Thomas said.

Jackson County Clerk Jeff Waybright, a Republican, said 400 other people voted without reporting any problems.

Wood said he and Waybright are both very careful to guarantee people's votes are recorded properly.

Wood said, "Voting machines are very reliable. I hate the fact that stories like this are printed. It makes everybody get scared.

"That is not good for anybody. Where the fault is, I don't know and the voter doesn't know. There needs to be good communication between the voters and the poll workers."

Wood offered this advice to voters: "The best way to solve this whole problem is that before you leave the voting booth, make sure on the review screen that everybody you want to vote for is checked."

More than 1,000 voters from 48 local precincts in Putnam County cast early ballots in the past three days, Wood said. Putnam County has 36,000 registered voters.

http://www.sundaygazettemail.com/News/200810180251

[Laura+Tom 2]

What's wrong with good old fashioned pen and paper?

[w¡n9Nµ7 §£@¥€r 123]

What's wrong with good old fashioned pen and paper?

I am inclined to believe that these problems are due to a combination of user error and poor design.

[spookyturtle 9,466]

What's wrong with good old fashioned pen and paper?

I am inclined to believe that these problems are due to a combination of user error and poor design.

I think it may be the McCain campaign's hacking of the electronic voting system. He is merely being coy about his technological ignorance.

[Sofiyya 1,687]

What's wrong with good old fashioned pen and paper?

I am inclined to believe that these problems are due to a combination of user error and poor design.

I think it may be the McCain campaign's hacking of the electronic voting system. He is merely being coy about his technological ignorance.

I demand to know if anyone has been convicted in this outrage!

[Mr. Big Dog 10,747]

What's wrong with good old fashioned pen and paper?

I am inclined to believe that these problems are due to a combination of user error and poor design.

I think it may be the McCain campaign's hacking of the electronic voting system. He is merely being coy about his technological ignorance.

I demand to know if anyone has been convicted in this outrage!

Since when is that important to you? In the case of ACORN it clearly isn't. Why here?

[IAMX 3,055]

This was something that was happening in Ohio in the 2004 elections as well. Those machines should be immediately inspected.

Edit: I'll second what was said about double checking your vote.

Here we have both electronic voting machines and good ol paper ballots. I use the paper.

Edited October 19, 2008 by SRVT

[mendeleev 69]

Will this be the third national election in a row stolen by the Republicans?

[Sofiyya 1,687]

Will this be the third national election in a row stolen by the Republicans?

I hope so! Practice makes perfect!

[mendeleev 69]

Will this be the third national election in a row stolen by the Republicans?

I hope so! Practice makes perfect!

And will you be voting three times, as you suggested in another thread? If so, I hope you rot in jail.

Edited October 19, 2008 by novotul

[Sofiyya 1,687]

Will this be the third national election in a row stolen by the Republicans?

I hope so! Practice makes perfect!

And will you be voting three times, as you suggested in another thread? If so, I hope you rot in jail.

Yea, I'll rot in the same jail as Bill Ayers.

[IAMX 3,055]

Will this be the third national election in a row stolen by the Republicans?

I hope so! Practice makes perfect!

And will you be voting three times, as you suggested in another thread? If so, I hope you rot in jail.

Yea, I'll rot in the same jail as Bill Ayers.

It would only be a match made in heaven if he obsesses over you as much as you do him.

[Sofiyya 1,687]

That was so lame. You're only getting worse.

[IAMX 3,055]

That was so lame. You're only getting worse.

Admit it, you have a crush on the guy. Have a Bill Ayers desktop wallpaper and a poster next to your bed, do ya?

I bet you'd love for him to do make some weather underground for you. Pouring rain, gushing water and floods aplenty.

Edited October 19, 2008 by SRVT

[Sofiyya 1,687]

I've barely mentioned the man. You are surely getting worse. At least be funny, if not totally pointless.