Possible Computer Glitch May Have Cost Votes

The ACC has received news that some of the touch screen voting machines at the Ballwin Rec Center were not calibrated correctly.

Apparently, when a candidate was selected, the computer read that
their finger was elsewhere on the screen, therefore selecting a different candidate. As a result, if someone voted for Loudon, the computer might think you were voting for Thomas, and if not caught on the review, incorrect votes would be cast.

John Diehl, Chairman of the St. Louis County Board of Elections, refused to confirm the machines were intitially calibrated incorrectly, but did confirm that he recieved complaints from "a couple of voters" and "a candidate" that some of the machines were improperly calibrated, and as a result, the machines were re-calibrated.

Complaints were lodged around 1:00 according to Diehl, and technicians were out there by 2:00 to handle the recalibration. None of the machines were ever taken offline, and according to Diehl, there was "nothing wrong with them".

Diehl was careful to point out there are three different ways to check the accuracy of a potential vote--the printout, the yellow highlight of a selection, and lastly, the review screen. He was steadfast in his assertion that it "is ultimately the voter's responsibility to make sure the correct vote was cast. If a voter does not know how to change a vote, they need to see an official...once they finish the process, its too late."

The ACC has gotten word of similar problems in Kansas City.