Here’s an overview of voting systems incident reports for Mecklenburg County, North Carolina Board of Elections for early voting and the General Election 2016. I’m still reading through and noting highlights. Anyone voting on these touchscreens should be worried.
Full Report for Early Voting:
mecklenburg-2016-early-voting-incident-report
Full Report for Election Day Voting
mecklenburg-election-data-machine-desk-11-7-11-8-2016
Overview of Early voting problems:
Ballantyne Precinct 10-20-16 5:30
Voter Panel Paper Roll Jammed
Paper had just been changed on voter machine. First person voting had paper jam as she was going through ballot. We cancelled vote on machine. Paper did not advance to indicate vote cancellation.
Cornelius Precinct 10-20-16 8:30 (pm?)
Voting machine malfunction – voting for one judge removed vote for judge in another race.
Told to recalibrate machine. We did but we also closed it. Machine had been recalibrated at 7 this morning.
Cornelius Precinct 10-20-16 8:20 Am
Voting Panel or Voter. Voter first reported that his voting panel gave a printer error. Machine tech Frank Molinek adjusted a loose paper roll and voting panel appeared to work. Voter almost immediately reported that screen went dark..
…
Frank moved the voter to another voting panel and he voted…
Did voter vote twice?”
Morrison Precinct 10-21-16 3:45
Accidental Duplication of Vote on Panels.
Voting panel froze on voter. Voter was moved to another panel. Site coordinator attempted to cancel ballot at frozen panel but panel remained frozen. Machine tech replaced paper roll. Site coordinator again attempted to cancel ballot but screen remained frozen. Site Coord selected “Resume Voting” on screen *& ballot was confirmed. Vote is valid on panel 5163591. Vote is not valid on 5162163.
Morrison Precinct 10-22-16 2:45
Paper Jam. Printer jammed on machine 578984ADA as voter cast and confirmed ballot. Voter asked to see tape. We declined. She asked that we read her any message on the tape that indicated her vote was accepted. We advised that it is illegible due to jam & then explained that tape was one component of back up to the flash card/memory.
Voter did not seem convinced that if she cast & confirmed her vote on the machine, the vote was recorded.
NCRL Precinct. 10-23-16 4:00
Voter issue with machine. Voter said that twice she chose a candidate but the check mark appeared in the box by a different candidate’s name. The assistant told her she could select the box again to remove the check and re-select her choice. Voter wrote down the machine number. Voter said she discovered the error both times when she reviewed her ballot each screen.
Response to the incident at the precinct (completed by person taking the report)
… that possibly the screen/buttons may be more sensitive in some areas and to review carefully.
Voter said she does her “own observations and investigation”
We cleaned the screen and calibrated the machine after this voter left.
Cornelius Precinct. 10-24-16 3:25
Voter complained that voting machine (#516 3316) was not recording her selections. She reported that she had to return to the ballot from the review screen several times. She demanded that the machine be “taken out of service.”
Response to the Incident at the precinct: (completed by person taking the report)
I responded that I would file an incident report and we would pay special attention to that machine. She asked for a copy of incident report. I informed her that I didn’t have a way to make a copy but she was welcome to take a picture with her phone. She said “what’s the point if I don’t get a copy. Screw you” and walked out. I followed her out of the voting enclosure to try to appease her. She took a picture of me and left.
Our machine tech, Pat Cotter recalibrated the machine.
NCRL Precinct 10-24-16 2:20
Voting machine: ADA 5176349. (Name redacted) motioned me to her machine and said two times she pressed one candidate for president but the 
appeared in another candidate’s box. She said she could see her two votes & two cancellations on the paper in the window. She asked me to watch as she tried a third time. This time she wiped her fingers on her jeans then pressed her candidate. This time her choice was correct on the screen & tape.
Response to the incident at the precinct (completed by person taking the report)
I told Voter we could cancel her ballot & move her to another machine. She said no the machine is fine now and seems to be working properly & she would finish on this machine. I told her to review her ballot carefully & let us know of any further problem. She said OK. Voter was very pleasant and did not appear angry at all. After she left I cleared the screen and recalibrated the machine….
Ballantyne Precinct 10-27-16 12:15
Voter Panel Spool Broke. Voter Panel #5161525 Paper Roll Spool Broke while or after vote. Paper jammed in machine. Voter was moved to another machine. Our machine tech replaced spool and machine started functioning correctly. Unfinished, jammed paper roll included.
Midwood Cultural Ctr 11-01-16 10:30 AM Approx
Voting machine printer jam.
Machine #5189278 jammed while voter #389 (per public count) voted.
Previous voter #388 entries printed properly on tape but intro data line of next voter was the only data that printed. Paper jam prevented remainder of voter #389 data to print and was not retrievable. Machine techs cleared jam but all paper could not be removed so printer was replaced. Tech supervised first 2 voters on new printer to verify proper function using small paper roll. After voter #396 small paper roll was replaced with standard paper rolls. Both paper rolls were noted of issues and placed in paper roll bay with similar notes to this included.
Indy Precinct 11-1-16 7:55 (NC Voter note – double voting?)
The last voter voting on machine #5163015 the machine ran out of paper. The voter was placed on another machine #5161504. When the paper was changed it was discovered that the machine ran out of paper after she had cast her vote. At that point she had already voted on the second machine.
Indy Precinct 11-5-16 2:00 PM
Machine 5163015 shut down early approx 2:00 PM No count called…
NC Voter 