Some voters turned away from polls
SIGNONSANDIEGO
11:15 a.m. March 2, 2004
SAN DIEGO – An unknown number of voters were turned away from San Diego County polls this morning as poll workers ran into problems starting up elements of a new electronic voting system.
Poll workers at many polling places were stumped when they turned on electronic card readers and were faced with an unfamiliar start-up screen, officials with the San Diego County Registrar of Voters said.
That kept those polling places from preparing access cards for voters to use to mark their ballots at the voting machines while workers called the registrar's hotline for instructions.
The problem did not affect the voting process itself and will not affect vote totals, Registar Sally McPherson told reporters.
It was not clear how widespread the problem was, but many voters who went to polling places between 7 and 8 a.m. said they were told to either come back later or to vote at another polling place.
The registrar's office did not know how many precincts were affected and had yet to decide whether the problems were significant enough to extend tonight's 8 p.m. voting deadline.
The machines were to be used in 1,611 polling places throughout the county.
Voters experiencing problems can call the Registrar of Voters hotline at (858) 565-5800.
Voters also can cast their votes on paper ballots at the registrar's office, located at 5201 Ruffin Road in San Diego.
SIGNONSANDIEGO
11:15 a.m. March 2, 2004
SAN DIEGO – An unknown number of voters were turned away from San Diego County polls this morning as poll workers ran into problems starting up elements of a new electronic voting system.
Poll workers at many polling places were stumped when they turned on electronic card readers and were faced with an unfamiliar start-up screen, officials with the San Diego County Registrar of Voters said.
That kept those polling places from preparing access cards for voters to use to mark their ballots at the voting machines while workers called the registrar's hotline for instructions.
The problem did not affect the voting process itself and will not affect vote totals, Registar Sally McPherson told reporters.
It was not clear how widespread the problem was, but many voters who went to polling places between 7 and 8 a.m. said they were told to either come back later or to vote at another polling place.
The registrar's office did not know how many precincts were affected and had yet to decide whether the problems were significant enough to extend tonight's 8 p.m. voting deadline.
The machines were to be used in 1,611 polling places throughout the county.
Voters experiencing problems can call the Registrar of Voters hotline at (858) 565-5800.
Voters also can cast their votes on paper ballots at the registrar's office, located at 5201 Ruffin Road in San Diego.
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