2012 ELECTION
Fairfax County absentee voters say machines change their votes
The question right now in Fairfax County is not if every vote counts, but whether they are being counted correctly.
Many voters lining up to cast absentee ballots in Fairfax are using the electronic voting machines and would do it again…
"It is much better than any other kind," Beverly Woodruff says. "Anybody who can read can do it. Totally efficient. Totally efficient."
But the Fairfax County Democratic Committee is not so sure.
Executive Director Frank Anderson says they've received up to 15 complaints about the machines across the county, cases where people press the button for one candidate, but the machine registers another.
He says the machines are old and outdated, a serious problem in a year, and in a state, like this.
"We know Virginia will be extremely close, so if there's just a handful of votes that go the wrong way that could be a problem," Anderson says.
And the concerns appear to be bipartisan.
Lisa Merrill, a volunteer for the Mitt Romney campaign, is encouraging voters to use paper ballots.
"I observed an issue with the electronic booths," Merrill says.
But officials in Fairfax County simply don't agree, saying every complaint has been checked, and every one cleared.
"We have yet to be able to replicate any actual problems with the machines, so it may indeed be operator error," a county official says. "But sometimes there are baseless allegations."
For information on voting absentee, including eligibility, mailing, dates, and locations: Fairfax County absentee voting
Would you like to contribute to this story? Join the discussion.
RecommendedRecent Facebook Activity
Only On 7
-
Team up with the Home Team afternoons at 4 on ABC7
"Katie" weekdays at 4pm on ABC7 followed by Leon Harris and Alison Starling on ABC7 News at 5. Click here to find out more about "Katie!"
Photo Galleries Pictures from around the region
-
PHOTOS: Autumn leaves, D.C., Maryland, Virginia
-
PHOTOS: Top 10 worst cities for traffic congestion
-
Looking up from below the surface, amazing underwater dogs

_172.jpg)







17 Comments
MORE COMMENTSPost a Comment