E-voting Tested On Election Day

Poll watchers and voters in 10 states reported jammed phone lines, overloaded servers, voting machine glitches, poll worker difficulty operating the machines and slow computer systems.

By K.C. Jones
InformationWeek

Nov 7, 2006 08:27 PM

Poll workers and voters reported a host of technology-related problems on Election Day, but the final test of electronic voting machines -- counting the votes -- was expected to last late into the evening.

Nearly one-third of the country's registered voters cast their ballots on new equipment this year, according to Election Data Services, a political consulting firm that monitors how elections are administered. The switch, which complies with requirements under the Help America Vote Act, represents the largest change in voting equipment in American history, according to EDS.

Voter advocacy groups predicted problems before polling places opened Tuesday. Those watching elections expected continued complaints and glitches through the evening and said it could take weeks to get a clear picture of how machines -- and the elections in general -- functioned.

Poll watchers and voters in 10 states reported jammed phone lines, overloaded servers, voting machine glitches, poll worker difficulty operating the machines and slow computer systems. States where problems were reported were California, Texas, Colorado, Michigan, Illinois, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Florida, New Jersey and New York

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