County Clerk Joe Paul Gonzalez this week expressed confidence
that the elections office will not have the same problems with
counting as it experienced in November 2008, when results were
vague on election night and about a week passed before all of the
vote-by-mail ballots were tabulated.
County Clerk Joe Paul Gonzalez this week expressed confidence that the elections office will not have the same problems with counting as it experienced in November 2008, when results were vague on election night and about a week passed before all of the vote-by-mail ballots were tabulated.
In response to the problems during the November 2008 election, which had an unusually high turnout due to the presidential election, Gonzalez pushed for a second vote-counting machine after the one San Benito County maintains malfunctioned during the tallying.
Supervisors in the spring of last year approved that expense, a used machine for about $60,000. Gonzalez and county officials also examined finding a secure room designated for the counting because elections workers use a courtroom that is not always necessarily available.
For the upcoming primary June 8, though, the room issue will not be a problem, Gonzalez said, because the courts already have set aside that date to have it open.
“We’re really waiting to be able to accommodate that need for the courts when it vacates the current building,” Gonzalez said, referring to the late 2012 estimated time frame for the new courthouse’s completion.
Aside from the counting machine breaking down – Gonzalez described how it scanned the ballots but did not tally them – the 82 percent turnout during that November 2008 election compounded the problems.
He said elections officials expect an especially good turnout in this November’s general election because the governor’s race is on the ballot, but not like the 2008 election “by any means.”
For the full story see the Pinnacle on Friday.
