Fanello Wants Audit Into the New Election Equipment

WFIE-TV   05 November 2004 
The President of the Vanderburgh County Commission says she won't spend another dime on election equipment until there's an audit on its performance.

Democrat Catherine Fanello is calling for an independent company to look into the problems election night with ES and S voting equipment and tabulating machines.

The Clerk's Office explained earlier this week that workers were pulling the ballots too soon, causing lock ups on the Ivotronic.

As a part of the nearly three-million dollar contract, the company is scheduled to perform an audit of its own.

Fanello said, "That would be like the fox watching the hen house. They can go ahead and perform their own audit if they want to. I want an independent person coming in here and looking at that software and equipment. I heard too many complaints. Too many machines broke down."

Marsha Abell, the Vanderburgh County Clerk, commented, "This Democratic Party is totally disorganized, couldn't get their paperwork together, and couldn't get their workers trained. We have to use 50 percent Democrat workers at the polls. So, 50 percent of the workers weren't trained."

Fanello says she must get approval from the commissioners before handing the complaint over to the County Attorney.

Fanello did not seek re-election and her term ends December 31st.