WP: In Florida, 245 'Lost' Primary Votes Found

[kskiska]

TAMPA, Sept. 18 -- A mistake by an election worker "lost" 245 electronic ballots cast in last month's Florida primary, but the mix-up did not change the outcome of any race when the votes were finally counted, authorities said.

Hillsborough County residents cast the ballots before the Aug. 31 election on an ATM-style machine set up at a library, Elections Supervisor Buddy Johnson said. A member of Johnson's staff left the machine, made by Sequoia Voting Systems, in test mode. The votes were recorded and stored but not counted until they were found Friday.

Johnson said the votes were discovered missing when his staff compared the number of people who signed in to vote at the precinct and the number of ballots counted there. In all, the county had 118,699 votes cast.

Although the 245 ballots did not change any outcomes, there were close contests. In the Republican primary for state House District 47, Kevin Ambler defeated Bill Bunkley by 130 votes.

"We're very disappointed this happened," Johnson said of the error. "That's the bottom line."

more…
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A32027-2004Sep18.html

[Kathy in Cambridge]

1. This is only the beginning.

looks like they were practicing for November...

[n2mark]

2. Sure

Yes, sure you are disappointed! So,how much does your income increase? That's the bottom line? Go to the bottom of the line in November. Hide your scarry Shrub face. Sorry Florida, hound dogs can do better.

[bluedeminredstate]

3. Florida will be a gigantic

ratfuck. I just hope that the screwups are apparent so they can be challenged.

[captainjack]

4. and the UN?

are they monitoring in FL and other tight states?

let's hope that this time around, we don't come across as morans to the rest of the world.

[lynne]

5. NO - Not the UN - The OSCE

aka "Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe" will participate in monitoring the election. Where and how, I don't know. One would think that FL would be on the top of their list.