Ballot design causes over-voting problems

From Staff & Wire Reports

CHARLESTON - Ballot designs that split Democratic secretary of state candidates into two columns likely caused over-voting problems in several counties during last month's primary, Secretary of State Joe Manchin told a legislative interim committee meeting Sunday.
While all the ballots had the word ''continued'' at the foot of the first column, some had nothing at the top of the second column to denote that it was the continuation of the secretary of state balloting. Many voters inadvertently voted a second time in that column, nullifying their vote for the office, including more than 1,500 overvotes in Marion County alone, Manchin said.

Elections officers in in Wood County reported no problems with the secretary of state's race in the primary election.

Manchin, the Democratic nominee for governor, said his office will have ''a couple of recommendations'' for county clerks.

One recommendation will be to restate the name of the office at the top of the second column.

Manchin also said Sunday he plans to distribute $20 million in federal funds for electronic voting machines through a no-interest loan fund. Under the federal Help America Vote Act, West Virginia has to come up with a uniform voting system to replace paper and punch card ballots by 2006.

Manchin delayed implementation of statewide electronic voting last year after critics said the machines were not secure. Manchin has said he hopes advances in technology will allow him to put out a request for proposals for machines that can be used throughout West Virginia before he leaves office in January.

''We don't recommend spending $20 million or $30 million to upgrade the system unless we believe we have the system we need,'' Manchin said Sunday.

Currently, four counties use touch-screen machines for early voting, and Cabell County uses the machines for both early and Election Day voting. Marion County plans to use them for Election Day voting in November.