Poll workers are in some cases being forced to remove write-in ballots and store them in special bags, multiple sources tell the Chronicle. Updated with comment from election official in White Plains.
At least today the poll workers are able to open the tabulation machine and remove the ballots. Back in the day the machine was locked and the workers did not have a key. We were supposed to call White Plains and ask for a tech to come and help but they almost always arrived almost at the end of the voting day. I saw that the tabulating machine is a new model this year but obviously still the same inside.
The same thing happened when Ginny Calcutti ran as a write-in candidate. The ballots would jam the one tabulating machine at our location (Lutheran Church) so I turned the machine upside down to clear the jam. This had to be done several times during the day. Supervisors in White Plains were not pleased when I explained my fix. However, we were able to keep the polling place open to the end.
This demonstrates the importance for a community of having an online publication that can respond very quickly to local events and in some cases counter rumors and misinformation.
Kathleen, the write-in ballots are shunted to a different bin in the machine from the regular ballots which gets jammed up easily. See my previous post.
I just give a thanks to all the poll workers for their dedication and hard work. I am sure they are doing their best to insure a fair election.
Yes as always they do the best job they can under the circumstances they are put in.
At least today the poll workers are able to open the tabulation machine and remove the ballots. Back in the day the machine was locked and the workers did not have a key. We were supposed to call White Plains and ask for a tech to come and help but they almost always arrived almost at the end of the voting day. I saw that the tabulating machine is a new model this year but obviously still the same inside.
Many thanks for the insights that you are providing about the process.
The same thing happened when Ginny Calcutti ran as a write-in candidate. The ballots would jam the one tabulating machine at our location (Lutheran Church) so I turned the machine upside down to clear the jam. This had to be done several times during the day. Supervisors in White Plains were not pleased when I explained my fix. However, we were able to keep the polling place open to the end.
Given this past experience with write in campaigns, it’s disappointing that election officials did not anticipate this, as I mentioned in the story.
When will we see a final vote tally for the Croton Dem candidates and the write-in candidates?
Not before Nov 16 as things stand now, that is when the recanvass begins.
I read this here on Election Day. Thank you for the speedy reporting!
This demonstrates the importance for a community of having an online publication that can respond very quickly to local events and in some cases counter rumors and misinformation.
Kathleen, the write-in ballots are shunted to a different bin in the machine from the regular ballots which gets jammed up easily. See my previous post.
This makes no sense!
The write in is at the bottom of the sheet. Sooo....how are the segregating these votes?
The machines “know” when there has been a write in vote rather than that part of the ballot left blank.