Seminole County voters encounter glitch, delays

Paper-based backup used to check voters in

SANFORD, Fla. – Some voters in Seminole County ran into delays when trying to vote Tuesday after being told they had already cast a ballot in the primary election.

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According to supervisor of elections Mike Ertel, poll workers at some precincts became aware of a computer glitch when trying to check-in some voters.

"Instead of asking has this person already voted in the August election, it's asking has this person already voted in the March election," said Ertel.

Oviedo voter Pam Knapp called News 6 after she encountered the issue.

"I put my ID in and they said I had already voted. And then they checked my husband and (said)he had already voted," said Knapp.

After being notified about the issue, workers at the Supervisor of Elections Office spent the morning contacting every precinct to make sure the databases were updated and fail-safes were in place.

"There's always a way.  No matter what, the voter's going to be able to cast a ballot," said Ertel.

Ertel said delays were minimal using a paper-based backup to check-in voters and no delays are expected for people who haven't yet voted.


About the Author:

Mark Lehman became a News 6 reporter in July 2014, but he's been a Central Florida journalist and part of the News 6 team for much longer. While most people are fast asleep in their bed, Mark starts his day overnight by searching for news on the streets of Central Florida.