• Home
• About
• Advertising
• Contact
• Print Subscriptions
• Donate
• Archives
• Links

Election Roundup: County Machines Pass Tests, But Confusion and Early Voting Misinformation Still a Problem

By Steve Klinger.

In a post last week on concerns about problems with straight-party voting in several states, Grassroots Press cited a published article (http://www.startribune.com/politics/national/30557559.html?elr= KArksac8P3iUec7Pa%20P3iUqc8P3UU) reporting on optical scanner voting machines in Santa Fe County that initially failed tests tabulating votes when a straight-party option was selected for the Democratic Party.

Those problems reportedly were corrected before voting began, and on Friday (Oct. 17) the Doña Ana County Bureau of Elections announced that no such errors are occurring on machines in Doña Ana County. A release (http://www.co.dona-ana.nm.us/news/story.php?news_ID=1761) posted on the county’s web site stated:

“According to Mario Jimenez of the BOE, a problem was noticed and fixed during testing in Santa Fe County, which uses a different-sized ballot from all other New Mexico counties.

“All of Doña Ana County’s ballots and machines have been tested and retested to the satisfaction of election officials and representatives of the Secretary of State’s Office and state representatives of both major political parties.

“To reiterate, Doña Ana County is experiencing NO PROBLEMS whatsoever with recording votes, straight-party or otherwise.”

Peter Ossorio, voter protection volunteer with the Democratic Party of Doña Ana County, wrote in an e-mail that he has done spot checking to observe testing of many of the county’s 115 precinct tabulators that were certified last week and has “discussed the process in detail with the county employees (not vendor AES employees), discussed the process with a representative from the Secretary of State’s Office (Anita Baca) and know that each tabulator is being tested by running through a test deck that contains Republican and Democratic straight ticket plus the individual candidates.”

Ossorio told Grassroots Press he does not think voters should be concerned about voting a straight party ticket and expressed concern that worries about vote-counting errors might keep voters away from the polls.

Ossorio also reported today, “The eight early voting machines (two at the [county] government center and one at each of the other six sites) were delivered and are being used.  There have not been problems with the machines.  There were some delays with the early voting sites in opening — related to personnel problems and the use of computers and printers for early voting that print a customized ballot for a particular voter’s home precinct.  This will not be a problem for 4 Nov. because on that date each precinct will have preprinted ballots unique to that precinct and a (good old fashioned) signature roster and checklist of registered voters.”

Correct information on early voting, which began last week at satellite locations around the county, has been somewhat hard to come by. The county web site has no current early voting information posted, and published information has not been completely reliable.

Early voting began Oct. 8 at the County Clerk’s Office, Doña Ana County Government Center, 845 N. Motel Blvd., where all county voters may cast early ballots from 8 am- 5 pm weekdays through Oct. 31, and from 10 am – 6 pm on Saturdays (Oct. 25 and Nov. 1).

Early, in-person voting at satellite locations began Oct. 18 and continues from noon to 8 p.m. Tuesdays through Fridays through Oct. 31 and on Saturdays, 10 am to 6 pm through Nov. 1.

The satellite locations are:

- Anthony Community Center, 875 Anthony Drive, Anthony

- Chaparral Wright Park, 150 W. Lisa Drive, Chaparral

- Hatch Community Center, 837 N.M. Hwy. 187, Hatch

- Sonoma Elementary School, 4201 Northrise Drive, Las Cruces

- Branigan Memorial Library, 200 E. Picacho Ave., Las Cruces

- Sunland Park Library, 984 McNutt Road, Sunland Park

Questions on sites, times or procedures should be addressed to the Bureau of Elections, 575 647-7428.

Branigan Library was recently added, and Sonoma Elementary replaces Highland Elementary, for those referring to earlier published information, including the League of Women Voters Guide. Earlier lists may also not have had the Anthony Community Center or the Dolores Wright Community Center in Chaparral. A call to county public information officer Jess Williams on Monday to inquire why early voting information is not provided on the county’s web site has still not been returned as of Thursday morning. Calls to the Bureau of Election have been answered by a recording.

Ossorio said the LWV guide contained incorrect information about returning absentee ballots. Ossorio urges readers who have not received and returned requested absentee ballots by now to go in person to one of the early voting sites, and preferably the County Clerk’s office on Motel Boulevard, bringing their ballot with them, if they have it.

“It takes about 5-10 minutes extra to fill out the necessary paperwork but will save many people’s votes — from the absentee ballots either not being received back in time or containing errors that the clerical personnel are not allowed to correct,” he wrote in an e-mail.

Another point of possible misinformation regards those eligible to vote. The official county registration form states that convicted felons who have served their sentence and completed any probation are eligible, but a Las Cruces Sun-News voter’s guide published yesterday states, “All citizens 18 or older who are not convicted felons can vote in presidential elections… “

Meanwhile, The Doña Ana County Bureau of Elections has released final updated numbers of registered voters in Doña Ana County eligible to vote in the Nov. 4 General Elections:

Registered Democrats: 53,551

Registered Republicans: 30,954

Registered Independents: 2,885

Registered in other parties: 692

Registered without a designated party affiliation: 20,538

Total registered voters: 108,620

More information is available at the county’s web site, Doña Ana County Bureau of Elections: http://www.donaanacounty.org/elections

Comments