New Scrutiny For Voting Machines In Mecklenburg County

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by Kirk Hawkins
Bio | Email | Follow: @kirkhawkins

Story Created: Oct 24, 2012 at 9:42 PM EDT

Story Updated: Oct 25, 2012 at 12:00 AM EDT

CHARLOTTE, N.C.-- An Obama vote intended for Romney and a Romney vote intended for Obama.
With the election essentially underway, voters want to make sure their ballots count. "I checked mine. Everything I chose was on there and I confirmed after the fact," said Northwest Charlotte Resident Stephanie Shine.

Mecklenburg County Board of Elections Director Michael Dickerson said these machines have been the source of voting irregularities.

"The fact is...just like a smart phone or a smart board when you touch it sometimes it doesn't know
where you're touching it and it wants to touch some other area off the screen, "said Jay Delancy of the North Carolina Voter Integrity Project.

Delancy has been looking into the possibility of election fraud. In this case, he hasn't found a problem, "The key is pay attention to your ballot. Make sure when you validate your ballot, make sure it was who you thought it was," Delancy said.

Mecklenburg County Election Officials said voters should notify a polling place worker as soon as they notice a problem. "It does ask you, "Are you sure this is what you're gonna vote on? If you're sure press vote. If you're positive this is what you want, press vote," said Mecklenburg County Board of Elections Director Michael Dickerson.

The same protocol followed by a long line of voters in University City on Wednesday evening.
"At first I couldn't figure out how to stop and complete the ballot but then it flashed and said review so I went through all the steps," said University City Resident Joyce Bussell

Similar problems were reported in Guilford and Wilson Counties. Election officials say polling place workers are instructed to notify technicians of any problems and they respond immediately.

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