The Register-Herald, Beckley, West Virginia

Local News

November 5, 2008

Minor snags reported across area during vote

By Amelia A. Pridemore

Despite handling extremely heavy voting turnout, election officials in southern West Virginia reported relatively minor Election Day snags.

Raleigh County officials handled a 54.45 percent voter turnout, said County Clerk Betty Riffe. Despite the heavier load, no major problems were reported. She credited the poll workers and her deputy clerks, whom she called her “dream team.”

“None at all,” she said as vote counting wrapped up just before 10 p.m. “The poll workers did a tremendous job. I’m really proud of them, and they’re well-trained. That’s why we’re out of here so early.

“This election, more people came out. There’s the economy, and this has been publicized so much through the media. People are more aware. We also had a lot of young people who were sharing more of an interest.”

Fayette County Clerk Kelvin Holliday said his county’s election was “not problem-free.” The primary problem was some voters’ names not appearing on poll books, for one reason or another. If these voters are properly registered, though, their provisional ballots will be counted at the canvass.

Holliday also estimated heavy voter turnout.

Greenbrier County Commissioner Brad Tuckwiller said voters at several precincts had 45-minute to one-hour wait times, and there were minor audit trail printer malfunctions. At an Organ Cave precinct, one of the three machines did not work.

“When you plan for three to handle this, and one goes down, you reduce your capacity by one-third,” he said.

Tuckwiller also expected some voting would continue past 7:30 p.m. He noted everyone who is in line before 7:30 can cast a ballot, no matter how late it would be when the last voter cast a ballot.

Monroe County Clerk Donald Evans said there were a few calibration issues with the voting machines — but nothing like the ones reported in other counties, where some people’s votes were apparently switched. At one precinct, he noticed a man was just not pressing the screen firmly enough.

Officials in Nicholas and Summers counties reported no major problems.

Wyoming County Clerk Mike Goode reported “no hitches” in his county’s election. All electronic voting machines performed well. Voter turnout was high, but there were no long wait times.

Right before the polls closed Tuesday night, Goode waited for the voting count to begin — and a long election to conclude.

“In about 20 minutes, this election will be history. This has lasted for two years,” he said. “Then, they’ll be starting the next one.”

— E-mail: apridemore@register-herald.com

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