Hillsborough Election Equipment's Maker To Explain Problems

TBO.com    August 27, 2008

TAMPA - The makers of the election equipment used in Tuesday's primary in Hillsborough County are holding a new conference this afternoon to explain the problems with posting results.

The news conference was to be held by officials of Premier Election Solutions at 4 p.m. at the elections office on Falkenburg Road.

Premier officials say the delay in posting the vote counts was the fault of the company, which had software-related problems Tuesday night.

The problems come at a delicate time for embattled Hillsborough Supervisor of Elections Buddy Johnson. His opponent in the primary Nov. 4, Phyllis Busansky, put out a news release today blasting Johnson's handling of the election-night problems.

"Buddy was clearly confused, giving one explanation and then a half hour later giving another. He was not being honest but rather trying to minimize the problems. So once again we are embarrassed by his poor performance. Perhaps if he had spent more time carrying out his responsibilities rather than campaigning at the taxpayer's expense, this latest embarrassment could have been avoided," Busansky says in the written statement.