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More W.Va. voters say machines are switching votes In six cases, Democratic votes flipped to GOP WINFIELD, W.Va. -- Three Putnam County voters say electronic voting machines changed their votes from Democrats to Republicans when they cast early ballots last week. This is the second West Virginia county where voters have reported this problem. Last week, three voters in Jackson County told The Charleston Gazette their electronic vote for "Barack Obama" kept flipping to "John McCain". By Paul J. Nyden Staff writer
WINFIELD, W.Va. -- Three Putnam County voters say electronic voting machines changed their votes from Democrats to Republicans when they cast early ballots last week.
This is the second West Virginia county where voters have reported this problem. Last week, three voters in Jackson County told The Charleston Gazette their electronic vote for "Barack Obama" kept flipping to "John McCain".
In both counties, Republicans are responsible for overseeing elections. Both county clerks said the problem is isolated.
They also blamed voters for not being more careful.
"People make mistakes more than machines," said Jackson County Clerk Jeff Waybright.
Shelba Ketchum, a 69-year-old nurse retired from Thomas Memorial Hospital, described what happened Friday at the Putnam County Courthouse in Winfield.
"I pushed buttons and they all came up Republican," she said. "I hit Obama and it switched to McCain. I am really concerned about that. If McCain wins, there was something wrong with the machines.
"I asked them for a printout of my votes," Ketchum said. "But they said it was in the machine and I could not get it. I did not feel right when I left the courthouse. My son felt the same way.
"I heard from some other people they also had trouble. But no one in there knew how to fix it," said Ketchum, who is not related to Menis Ketchum, a Democratic Supreme Court candidate.
Ketchum's son, Chris, said he had the same problem. And Bobbi Oates of Scott Depot said her vote for incumbent Democratic Sen. John D. Rockefeller was switched to GOP opponent Jay Wolfe.
"I touched the one I wanted, Rockefeller, and the machine put a checkmark on the Republican instead," Oates said of her experience Thursday.
She said she caught the mistake, called over a worker in the county clerk's office and was able to correct her vote. But she worries other voters may not catch such a mistake.
When asked if she is sure she touched the box for Rockefeller, she said, "I'm absolutely positive."
Putnam County Clerk Brian Wood said on Saturday that he is upset there are "so many negative stories out there and not enough positive ones. We want people to vote. People need to know the facts.
"But we haven't had any major issues. We try to explain to voters how the machines work then they come in," Wood said.
In Putnam County, early voters have the option of asking for either touch-screen machines or optical scan ballots -- paper ballots on which people mark in their election choices.
Wood said some voters might not realize that touch-screen voting machines may take a few seconds to record their choices.
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What are we living in? A 3rd world country where the ruling junta steals the election after coming into power thru a coup. But wait. . . .this is what happened in 2000. No guns and tanks but lawyers, counters and Supreme Court Judges. We are no different than the 3rd world.
-------------------- Without data you are just another person with an opinion - Deming Posts: 12143 | From: When you have eliminated the impossible, whatever remains, however improbable | Registered: Jun 2007
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quote: WINFIELD, W.Va. -- Three Putnam County voters say electronic voting machines changed their votes from Democrats to Republicans when they cast early ballots last week. This is the second West Virginia county where voters have reported this problem. Last week, three voters in Jackson County told The Charleston Gazette their electronic vote for "Barack Obama" kept flipping to "John McCain".
This is exactly why I am waiting till election day to vote. In my precinct the early voting machines are the paperless ones. November 4th, we get a paper ballet. Posts: 3891 | From: No good deed goes unpunished. | Registered: May 2007
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Apparently, the folks in the white house believe that the only way the McCain/Palin ticket can win this election is by stealing it.
Posts: 173 | Registered: Sep 2008
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Why not. It's been working for them for decades. Bush owes both his wins to the GOP success in dishing out felony convictions to over 2 million black men and women, effectively neutralizing their ability to cast a vote in any election.
Posts: 3595 | From: Moved To Mars. Waiting with shotgun | Registered: Dec 2006
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quote:Originally posted by meninarmer: Why not. It's been working for them for decades. Bush owes both his wins to the GOP success in dishing out felony convictions to over 2 million black men and women, effectively neutralizing their ability to cast a vote in any election.
interesting concept. We are a country of prisioners.
Posts: 173 | Registered: Sep 2008
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I'm not sure about WE, but for those 2 million, they certainly are denied the opportunity to vote, and to secure a good job as well. Many normal jobs such as working in the US post office, or even the sanitation departments (garbage men), City Transportation (Buses, Trains, airports) of many cities disallow anyone with a felony conviction to apply or secure employment. Their ideal is, former convicts denied the basic right to work will return to crime, be caught, and continue to feed republican controlled privatized prisons.
Remember the GOP just questioned ACORN about it's position on hiring former convicts, drug/alcohol users, etc.
Posts: 3595 | From: Moved To Mars. Waiting with shotgun | Registered: Dec 2006
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I say WE because it affects us all. true about ex cons i mean nobody wants to work with them or live near them and its easy to see how there life of crime is a cycle.
Posts: 173 | Registered: Sep 2008
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Felons have not been able to vote in elections for decades. You guys are just throwing mud without a clue about the history behind the issue.
Posts: 2069 | From: Texas | Registered: Sep 2008
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In some states such as North CArolina, felons can still vote. In hokey states such as Florida/Texas/TN/VA, they cannot.
Posts: 3595 | From: Moved To Mars. Waiting with shotgun | Registered: Dec 2006
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