Voting continues after wet ballot jams machine

[kster]

By Adam Leech
[e-mail]
November 06, 2007 3:19 PM

PORTSMOUTH — Voters heading to the polls Tuesday were asked to remove wet clothing and umbrellas before entering the voting booths, after a damp ballot put one voting machine out of service.

City Clerk Kelli Barnaby said a machine in Ward Two was replaced with a back-up machine after a damp ballot that was placed in the machine incorrectly tore and caused a jam.

The jammed machine was replaced and brought to City Hall where it is in a vault until the final count is done this evening. The torn ballot then will be hand-counted, Barnaby said.

Barnaby said there have been no other incidents. Election officials are asking voters coming in to the polls to leave their coats and umbrellas at the door to avoid further incidents.

At 3 p.m., Barnaby said voter turnout has been low, but she is hopefully more people will vote after work.

http://www.seacoastonline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20071106/NEWS/71106025



VERRRY INTERESTING.

[Zornhau]

1. The Hartford Currant was reporting similar things around noon

it was raining pretty hard for most of the day, so I could see this happening.

Here's the link:
http://www.courant.com/news/custom/topnews/hcu-damp-elex-1106,0,7136774.story?coll=hc_tab01_layout

[kster]

2. I believe the article, whats interesting to me

is that damp ballots can put these machines out of service.