W.Va. County To Abandon Electronic Voting

Apparently undaunted by the snafus during Kanawha County's recent table games election, Taylor County wants to give up its voting machines in favor of paper ballots, The Associated Press reports.

With about 8,900 voters, the county wants to return 27 iVotronic machines to the Secretary of State's office. Officials there report miscounted ballots, paper jams, costly repair jobs and other problems.

“Based on all the problems we had with the (2006) primary and general election, it was one of the worst experiences of my life,” County Clerk Nancy Fowler, a 32-year veteran of that office, told the AP's Tom Breen.

But as the state's chief election officer, the Secretary of State is questioning the move. “We’re kind of perplexed as to why they’re doing it,” Chief of Staff Ben Beakes said.