Early Fla. voting sees lines, malfunctions

Published: Oct. 21, 2008 at 12:09 PM
Order reprints
JACKSONVILLE, Fla., Oct. 21 (UPI) -- Early U.S. election voting in Florida has resulted in malfunctioning vote scanners and long lines at polling places, officials say.

In Jacksonville, Fla., Duval County election officials estimated at least 6,000 people turned out Monday on the first day of early voting, but some were hampered by optical vote scanning machines that weren't working properly, The Florida Times-Union reported.

Seven of the 15 optical scan machines were replaced Monday as a result of problems with the machines rejecting ballots, Jerry Holland, Duval County supervisor of elections, told the newspaper.

"We're looking at everything," he said, adding that humidity, the paper or the machines themselves may have been factors. Some voters said they weren't confident their votes were being counted but officials assured them they would be.

The lines for early voting led Florida election officials to predict this year's presidential elections will break records for voter turnout, the Times-Union said.


© 2008 United Press International, Inc. All Rights Reserved.


Report: Known defect led to Snowbird crash (5 min)
U.S., Russia to tackle non-proliferation (31 min)
U.S., Russia resume military relations (36 min)
MLB: Toronto 7, New York Yankees 6 (42 min)
Crude oil prices drop Monday (44 min)
Drug may help slow diabetic eye disease (45 min)
Grain futures lower Monday (46 min)
You know how they're always telling you how a "tiger can't change his stripes"? Well, they're full...
You want to know why there haven't been 40 threads about the pro-democracy riots in China? Because...
Woman found dead in her backyard fish pond. Police are being koi about possible suspects
3 gunmen, over 100 shots fired, automatic weapons used and about 100 people at the party, yet no...
Bayer gets stiffed by Levitra pill heist. Police have no hard evidence, but are cock-sure they will...
US and Russia agree to reduce their number of nuclear warheads, which makes Obama look good and...