Polling machine problems anger many voters

07:27 PM CST on Tuesday, November 4, 2003

From 11 News Staff Reports

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HARRIS COUNTY Hundreds of Houston area voters didn't get to cast ballots Tuesday morning because of problems with the eSlate system.

The machines were down at some polling places so voters were told to come back later and try again.

Despite ideal voting weather an Election Day storm cloud hung over the Greater True Light Baptist Church.

"I came to vote this morning," said Norvie Marshall. "And all the machines was down. We waited and waited and waited."

For two long hours they waited. Some voters who had to work had to leave. "Very, very frustrating," said Betty Mills. "I mean I've been voting here for 30 years."

This year, of course, is different with the new eSlate style of voting. An election judge at Greater True Light says he couldn't get them to work. "We got nothing, nothing didn't come on," said Dwight Baldwin. "We couldn't get nothing to do nothing."

Across town there were more problems, at the Holiday Inn on the Katy Freeway the election judges were forced to improvise and had voters write their choices down on paper.

"And the machines weren't working," said Vicki Elliott. "So we voted by hand."

"We were voting on pieces of paper like this," said Carol Goforth.

In that case county officials say the election judge had set up the eSlate with the wrong ballot of the voters of that precinct. "And I think in a panic, they started having them write things on paper," said Kaufman. "Which just isn't kosher."

Election officials say the election judges at that location decided to go with the paper ballots because they were concerned voters were receiving the wrong ballot selections on the electronic ballot.

"I miss the punch cards. I miss the physical action of voting, punching the ballot and putting it in the box," complained voter Elliott. "The volunteers, I have to say, did a very good job. They gave everybody a sample ballot as you walked in and a piece of paper and a pen, and we wrote it down and put the position."

Ironically, that's the spot where mayoral candidate Bill White cast his ballot. He was able to vote with the eSlate machine.

Callers reported similar problems at about a dozen other locations, but they don't appear to be widespread.

But at the County Clerk technical help desk troubleshooters chalked it up as operator error in setting up the eSlate system. "Some of the election officials are not retaining the training like they should and we need to take a look at that," said County Clerk Beverly Kaufman. "And either they're gonna get sent back to school or we're going to make a change at personnel."

Kaufman said the paper ballots from the Holiday Inn will be counted. She said all 663 polling places were up and running by noon Tuesday.

As far as voting time lost at Greater True Light Baptist goes, Mayoral Candidate Sylvester Turner wanted to try to extend the voting hours, but it would take a court to do that.

Polls are open until 7 p.m.

A turnout of about 30 percent of the 1.5 million registered Harris County voters is expected.