Putnam, WV commissioner worried about early-voting problems

October 22, 2008

By Veronica Nett
Charleston Gazette

WINFIELD, W.Va. - A Putnam County commissioner wants Secretary of State Betty Ireland to look into complaints about voting machines in the county.

"A complaint like that is at least worth checking into, and I'm sure the secretary of state is already looking into it," Commissioner Gary Tillis said Tuesday. Several Putnam County early voters have complained the touch-screen voting machines changed their vote after they tried to punch them in. Jackson County residents have had similar experiences.

County Clerk Brian Wood said the clerk's office has put together a survey for residents who come for early voting.

"At the end of the day, if we have a stack of negative surveys or a stack of positive surveys then we know where the weight lies," Wood said.

Wood said he "hates to see so many negative stories in the media," but believes it is an issue residents should be aware of when casting their vote.

Voters have the option to use the touch-screen machines or paper ballots, Wood said. The electronic machines allow counties to produce polling results faster, compared to paper ballots, he said.

Wood said every county in the state is using at least one electronic voting machine manufactured by Election Systems and Software, a company based in Omaha, Neb.

West Virginia is not the first state to experience problems with ES&S. California's secretary of state banned them from any future election there last year.

"That's a pretty strong statement ... I don't agree with everything California does, but I would hope [the West Virginia Secretary of State's Office] would check with them and see what some of these problems were," Tillis said.

Wood also expressed doubt Monday about the legitimacy of problems with the touch-screen machines.

"It's hard to believe Jackson and Putnam, the two Republican [counties] are the only ones that have had a problem," he said.

Also Tuesday, Tillis said the commission has received several complaints that Cummings Trash Collection has again fallen behind in its garbage pickup. He said the majority of complains have come from Poca residents.

Commissioner Stephen Andes said the company also has fallen behind in trash collection in his Hurricane neighborhood.

Cummings, a private trash hauler for more than 50 years, is selling their company to Waste Management of West Virginia.

Tillis said once the state Public Service Commission approves the sale, Waste Management will take over for Cummings. He urged residents to contact the state PSC with any further complaints.

Reach Veronica Nett at veroni@wvgazette.com or 348-5113.

Source: Charleston Gazette