Palm Beach County election officials are asking voters to double-check their ballots after some early voters said their selections did not register as intended on ExpressVote ballot-marking devices.
Boca Raton resident Ceil Friedenthal said she noticed the problem several times while voting early at the South County Civic Center. She said she tried to select a Democratic candidate, but a Republican candidate listed above it was chosen instead. She called a poll worker three times, and each time the worker helped correct the selection. Friedenthal said she also spoke with two other women who had similar experiences.
Supervisor of Elections Wendy Sartory Link said her office had received only a couple of direct reports from voters. She said there is no setting that defaults a voter to a particular candidate. Instead, she said a fingernail or a large hand can touch a neighboring selection. Link also cited the age of the machines, saying a slight delay in response can lead voters to tap the screen again. Her office has replaced one machine as a precaution, but staff have not been able to reproduce the problem.
Link urged voters to use the stylus provided with each machine, slow down and review their choices. Voters can correct errors before printing, review the printed paper ballot and ask a poll worker for a new ballot if a mistake remains. Voters may also choose a traditional oval ballot instead.
