Nov 7, 8:42 PM EST
Poll Workers Struggle With E-Ballots
By DEBORAH HASTINGS AP National Writer

While new voting machines confounded some poll workers, reports of dirty tricks and voter intimidation surfaced across the nation Tuesday, prompting federal investigations in at least two states.

In Virginia, the FBI was looking at complaints of voter intimidation in the hard-fought U.S. Senate race between Republican George Allen and Democrat Jim Webb. Some voters reported they got calls encouraging them to stay home on Election Day. Others said they were directed to the wrong polling place.

In Indiana, the FBI was investigating allegations that a Democratic volunteer at a polling site in the college town of Bloomington was found with unprocessed absentee ballots after counting had begun.

http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/E/ELN_VOTING_PROBLEMS?SITE=PAPIT&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=election.htm


Scattered problems reported with voting machines
Tuesday, November 07, 2006

By Gabrielle Banks, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

Twenty of the new electronic voting machines were removed from polling places across Allegheny County this morning because of technical glitches, and one polling site in Monroeville resorted to using paper ballots for 45 minutes, elections officials said today.

All 20 machines have been taken out of service. In some precincts, they were replaced with backup machines. In others, poll workers made do with the machines available. The county has 4,600 voting machines in use and 100 in reserve. In addition, election officials have hired 200 rovers to scout for problems and they have 56 technicians on call, said Mark Wolosik, manager of the county elections division.

Some machines were not "zeroing out," which they need to do to start up, he said.

Between 7 and 8 a.m. the election call center received about 150 calls, but by late morning the calls had trickled down to 27 per hour, he said. He said in 40 years with the lever machines, the county experienced just as many calls about problems when the polls opened. There were 6,500 paid volunteers between 6 and 7 a.m. trying to get started on new a relatively new system. He considers the new machines a success.

Mr. Wolosik called voter turnout "brisk" despite scattered rain showers in some parts of the county. He anticipates 52 percent voter participation.

Voters in Brighton Heights, Pine, Bethel Park, Penn Hills, Mount Washington and McCandless contacted the Post-Gazette to report problems at their polling places. A rover in Dormont reported the polling station had an incomplete voter list and officials sent out a new list.

Naomi Stephenson, manager of voter registration, said the 15 lines at the county elections call center have been ringing non-stop, mostly with callers asking where their polling place is. The center is fielding more calls than she recalls in any recent mid-term election.

"We're answering them as fast as we can. You'll get through eventually even if you get put on hold," she said.

Some of the reported problems did not have to do with machine breakdowns.

Judge Beth A. Lazzara held several election-related hearings this morning, according to County Solicitor Mike Wojcik.

Some hospitalized voters wanted approval to use alternative ballots. Judge Lazzara granted their request.

Another hearing addressed charges of voter intimidation at three or four polling sites in the North Hills, including one in Franklin Park. Voters said a partisan group set up tables outside the site and were "interrogating" voters before they went in, asking whether they had proper identification. The judge issued a countywide order for all such activity to cease. She also sent sheriff's deputies to patrol the sites in question.

A voter who asked for permission to view the parallel test of the voting machines, which is going on for control purposes and will not count towards the elections, was denied.

Finally, a Green Party voter requested permission to observe the tabulation of votes this evening. Judge Lazzara granted this request.

http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/06311/736320-100.stm