Report: Vendor of Miami-Dade voting machine failed to explain potential problems with devices

By Associated Press, 5/8/2003 08:43

MIAMI (AP) The provider of the touch-screen voting machines used in last year's botched primary elections misled officials about the equipment, a government study said.

The 41-page draft report by the Miami-Dade office of the inspector general said Election Systems & Software's sales team ''conveniently left out'' vital information about the touch-screen device capabilities and in effect turned the election into a live test for the software.

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Miami-Dade County precincts had problems opening and closing polls and tallying votes during the Sept. 10 primary. The problems were blamed on a lack of training, a lack of familiarity with the new touch-screen voting systems provided by Election Systems & Software, and poor organization.

The county's touch screen system replaced older punch card voting technology that came under heavy criticism during the debacle in Florida in the 2000 White House race.

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