Some Illinois Ballots Too Big for Their Scanners - East Idaho News
News

Some Illinois Ballots Too Big for Their Scanners

  Published at

Getty P 102910 PeopleVotingPolls?  SQUARESPACE CACHEVERSION=1332281018162Ethan Miller/Getty Images(NAPERSVILLE, Ill.) — Election officials in Illinois are discovering that size does matter. In 26 jurisdictions across the state, the ballots are too big to fit into the scanners, sources at the Illinois State Board of Elections tell ABC News.

The sizing problem means the affected polling places have had to scramble to find a way to count the ballots in Tuesday night’s Republican primary.

Elections officials describe the scope of the problem as “sporadic,” and includes several districts in DuPage County, the third most populous county in the state. Across some precincts the issue is widespread, while in other precincts it’s only hitting a handful of ballots. There are even instances of properly sized ballots and improperly sized ballots popping up in the same polling place.

The cause behind the improper sizing is still unknown, but election officials have traced the affected ballots to two specific vendors.

The problem appears to be under control, or at least well on its way. Counties ordered ballots to be re-printed, and in the interim time period while waiting for the new ballots, all but one of the 26 affected jurisdictions had electronic touch screens which voters were redirected to use.

In some polling places, already-cast ballots are being re-made by hand, with representatives from both parties supervising to make sure that the re-making follows proper procedure.

Election officials confirm to ABC News that this will likely slow down the rate at which results are tabulated Tuesday evening.

Copyright 2012 ABC News Radio

SUBMIT A CORRECTION