Intelligencer Election Notes, May 16, 2007

 

Doylestown Township

 

Machines malfunction handling write-in votes

 

Democratic voters in Doylestown Township had trouble casting write-in votes for supervisor and auditor Tuesday.

 

When they pushed the button to write in a candidate's name, the shutter blocking the box where the name should be written struggled to open, the red lights flashed and previously cast votes vanished.

 

"As the door was attempting to open, the machines froze, and all the lights started flashing," said Cynthia Philo, a township supervisor running for Clerk of Courts.

 

In some cases, an error message appeared on the paper tape in the box.  Voters were instructed to cast ballots on other machines.  Poll workers in at least four precincts called the county warehouse where mechanics talked them through the steps to reset the machines, said Deena Dean, director of the county Board of Elections.