Va. Elections Board Orders Backup Voting Equipment

October 27

RICHMOND, Va. (AP) - The State Board of Elections has ordered three Virginia localities with flawed voting machines to add machines in case the equipment causes confusion on Election Day.

Alexandria, Charlottesville and Falls Church have touch-screen machines that don't spell out the full names of several candidates on the summary page.

Among them is the Democratic candidate for US Senate, James "Jim" Webb Junior. His last name is not completed on the page.

The full names of the candidates appear on the ballot where voters make their choices. The shortened name shows up on a summary page, where voters can review their selections before hitting the button to record their votes.

The three localities are the only ones in the state using machines they bought from Hart InterCivic. The company says it will fix the equipment, but cannot get state certification in time for the election next month.

Jean Jensen, secretary of the elections board, says elections officials in the three localities have been instructed to post signs informing voters of the error and to add machines.

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