More Ohio Voting Machine Problems: OH-05 Failures Widespread

CINCINNATI (TDB) -- Ohio Secretary of State Jennifer Brunner obtained a court order keeping the polls open in Putnam County after reporting that electronic voting machines had widespread problems in a congressional primary. The complete text of her lawsuit says there are 40 machines and "most, if not all, have experienced failures at some point during the day."

Putnam County is in Ohio's 5th Congressional District, which covers 16 counties. There were Democratic and Republican primaries under way to fill the seat left vacant by the death of U.S. Rep. Paul Gillmor, who passed away in September. Brunner's office issued this press release about the problems in Putnam County and noted all of the machines were on loan from Franklin County. Putnam County's voting machines were destroyed by flooding last summer.

Brunner said only the congressional balloting was affected by "intermittent failures" and that voting for local races had proceeded smoothly. She said it was not known what caused the problems.