Early voting hits snafu, as voting machines down today in Beaufort   (SC)

ALEXIS GARROBO   The Island Packet   06 October 2008

Voters who went to cast early ballots in the Nov. 4 general election at the Beaufort elections office today found out that the voting machines weren’t working.

Beaufort County’s attempt to let voters cast early ballots “ran into a snag” after a password needed to format voting machines was incorrectly issued by the state, according to the county’s executive director of voting registration, Agnes Garvin.

“But the machines will be up and running tomorrow,” Garvin said, adding that voters who showed up at the two voting sites around the county still were able to cast paper absentee ballots.

State law requires voting precincts to open at least two weeks before Election Day, which is Nov. 4. However, Garvin said Beaufort County wanted to open voting earlier to allow the 95,500 registered voters to get a head start.

The machines, which were supposed to be working today, were not ready because the S.C. Election Commission supplied an incorrect software password needed to upload ballot information.

Garvin said workers at the county registration office off Burton Hill Road in Beaufort received the correct password this morning and that the machines should be ready Tuesday morning.

“It wasn’t a major problem,” Garvin said. “We just didn’t want to put them out on the street with a glitch.”

The elections office on Hilton Head Island also reported that many people showed up to vote, but that office wasn’t supposed to start early voting until Wednesday. Garvin said the island office would be able to open as scheduled for early voting.

Garvin suggested that voters coming to the Beaufort office call ahead of time before arriving, to make sure the machines are working. The number is 843-470-3759.