Hollister
– The Secretary of State’s office has completed its
investigation of alleged voting machine irregularities on Nov. 7
and concluded that the problems reported by a voter in a District 4
precinct were not caused by a machine malfunction.
Hollister – The Secretary of State’s office has completed its investigation of alleged voting machine irregularities on Nov. 7 and concluded that the problems reported by a voter in a District 4 precinct were not caused by a machine malfunction.
San Benito County resident Alan Swain said he had difficulty casting votes for District 4 supervisor candidate Tracie Cone and State Assembly candidate Anna Caballero. Swain reported that a worker at the Ridgemark Tennis Club polling station was unable to fix the machine, and that he succeeded in casting his votes only after picking up the machine and shaking it vigorously.
However, a letter from the Secretary of State’s Office of Voting Systems Technology to District Attorney Candice Hooper said the problems were likely caused by Swain touching the screen in more than one place.
“Our investigation found nothing to substantiate the voter’s allegations, nor did it find any irregularities with the voting machines that were used in that voter’s precinct,” wrote the agency’s interim director, Bruce McDannold.
The report states that investigators interviewed Swain and three poll workers, examined the machines and manually verified the election results for both Cone and Caballero’s contests. The investigators were unable to duplicate the problems Swain reported.
Swain said he’s satisfied with the investigation’s results, and that he’s glad his problem was not common.
“If they can’t duplicate it, then good,” Swain said. “I’m glad they can’t duplicate it.”
The county was first alerted about Swain’s concerns by a Nov. 17 letter from attorney John Picone, who was writing on Cone’s behalf. Cone, who was defeated on Nov. 7 by incumbent Reb Monaco, said the letter was not an attack on the local elections office, but rather reflected nationwide concerns with electronic voting machines.
“I’m glad they went to all that trouble,” Cone said. “I’m glad there were no problems and I’m glad we looked into it.”
County Clerk Joe Paul Gonzalez said the report gives “an extra stamp of approval” to San Benito’s election process.
“To me, that letter really exonerates not only the elections department, it also gives approval of the electronic voting system we’ve invested so much money into,” Gonzalez said.
The state began looking into the complaints at the request of then-District Attorney John Sarsfield. At the time, Sarsfield said there would also be an inquiry from the county’s criminal and civil grand juries.
However, both Gonzalez and Hooper said the letter has likely brought an end to the investigation.
