Michael Copley

Concerns have surfaced regarding electronic voting methods in the county and across the state. Robin St. John says she and another county voter were unable to cast their votes for President this morning at the Fine Creek Fire Department polling station.

“I cast my vote for the Senate and the machine went on to the next screen,” said St. John. “Then the machine shut down-I never got to vote for president.”
Inez Poe of the County Registrar’s Office said she understands people’s frustrations over submitting incomplete ballots but said all ballots are presented on the same screen.

“Some people are not seeing the choices, they’re just over looking them,” she said. “It’s [selections] coming up right for everyone else.”

St. John said she spoke to the registrar’s office but was told nothing could be done.

“I don’t like the touch screens,” she said, “We need a system where votes [or lack there of] can be verified.”

Poe said her office has received emails from other polling centers in the state, warning officials to inform voters of the ballot layout before they enter the voting booth.

But that isn’t much consolation to St. John.

“This is the most historical election in my lifetime,” she said, “And I didn’t get to cast a vote for President.”

“You get one chance,” said Poe in response to the question of voiding mistakenly incomplete ballots. “What’s to stop someone else from claiming they made a mistake and voting again?”