More Voter Problems at Kuyahoga Kounty B.O.E.

In an election the Plain Dealer called "Ballot Lite" because of a low voter turn out, Kuyahoga Kounty Bored of Elections - STILL had their problems. With only an approximate 15% turn out, Platten & her pigeons were still had problems......

But a 20-minute shutdown slowed counting around 9:30 p.m. Then a half-hour crash around 10:40 p.m. stalled tabulations again. At that point, the board changed its procedures and backed up its vote totals every 45 minutes.

By 11:30 p.m., about 43 percent of precincts were counted.

About 20 percent of polling places hadn't sent their results downtown three hours after polls closed because they were still completing a deliberate protocol that included packing up electronic equipment and sending the electronic cards that collected votes on to the board's Cleveland headquarters.

There were others problems Tuesday. A handful of voters called The Plain Dealer to say they never received absentee ballots they had applied for last month.

Voters in one Bay Village ward showed up at their expected polling place -- Lawrence School on Wallings Road -- only to find school in session and no note about where to cast their ballots, witnesses said.

The PD noted the election last November had a more positive outcome, though Elections Director Jane Platten informed the PD that she is happy with the outcome of this election. Platten was unable to cite how many poll workers were no shows, but as usual, was able to place blame everywhere else.

Calling this election a good sign, Platten states she predicted there would be problems at locations with new poll worker's. But instead of being proactive, she did nothing to prepare or help these so called "inexperienced" poll workers....

Cuyahoga County Elections Director Jane Platten said she didn't know why earlier simulations of the machines hadn't detected the glitch, which was the same for each shutdown. The simulations are no substitute for the real thing, she said.

Even after the first shutdown, Platten said the county's performance was a good sign for the 2008 elections. "If today was next year, I'd be very happy," she said before the second crash.

Poll-worker problems occurred mostly in cities that hadn't had any elections since last November, including Cleveland and Brooklyn, Platten said. She predicted those cities would struggle.....

Platten said Tuesday night she wasn't sure how many workers failed to show or how many polling places had setup problems. Platten said she didn't have an immediate answer about specific cases.

I thought we got rid of Micheal Vu?!?