Return to the listing of articles of November 7, 2000. Glitch creates 'phantom' voters

Computer responsible for overcount BY EVELYN RYAN

The Dominion Post

A mistake in retrieving Monongalia County voter registration figures from a database added 4,512 "phantom" voters to the statewide totals.

The overcount error is a computer one, Deputy Secretary of State Mary Ratliff said on Monday.

When the registration totals were downloaded, canceled voter's cards and rejected voters were counted as part of the eligible voter list, she said. "We didn't catch it," she admitted.

The state's figures gave the county 48,736 eligible voters -- almost 7,000 more than in the spring.

But that figure's actually 44,224 eligible voters, County Clerk Mike Oliverio said, 2,514 more than in the primary. This includes 25,529 Democrats, 12,620 Republicans, 118 Libertarians, and 5,957 in other categories.

"Go with his numbers," Ratliff said. "We'll make our corrections."

Mon County's is still fourth in the state for registered voters, besting fifth-ranked Harrison County by just 737. Kanawha County has the largest concentration, followed by Cabell and Wood counties.

No matter what the numbers are, the two said, the important thing is for people to vote on Election Day.

Polls across the state open at 6:30 a.m. today and will remain open until 7:30 p.m.

Those needing rides to the polls can call Monongalia County Democratic Headquarters at 284-8090 or 284-0439, or Grand Central Business Center at 292-8300 or 292-8320.

Mountain Line, the city-county bus service, is offering free rides today. More information: 291-7433.

When the results start rolling in, Monongalia and Marion county residents can check out local races on the World Wide Web.

Scott Carr, of SBC Communications, said Monongalia County results will be available through a new Web page -- www.moncoclerk.org -- while Marion County results can be found at www.sbccom.com/marion2000

This year, voters in this area have the option of marking their ballots for four write-in candidates -- three for president, one for governor. Their names will be posted at each poll.

The machine-readable ballots for Monongalia and Preston counties have a slot for write-in votes for these races. Anyone wishing to vote for a write-in must print the candidate's name on the dotted line, then fill in the oval in front of it. The scanner r eads the oval.

Regular paper ballots also have a space in each race for a write-in candidate. There, the voter must write in the name and mark an X in the box in front of the name to be counted.

This election, with the high interest in the presidential and gubernatorial races between the Democrats and Republicans, has created a Mon County record in absentee ballots.

Circuit Clerk Jean Friend said the 1,565 absentee votes as Monday breaks a record held from 1960, when John Kennedy ran for president. That year, she said, 1,545 absentees were voted. Second largest was for Ronald Reagan, at 1,320.

More than 900 ballots were voted in her office by people who will be out of town today; 64 of those were cast during the four hours her office was open Saturday.

"What's really amazing about this is when Kennedy ran and when Reagan ran, we had a lot of men in military, guys overseas," she said. Much of the absentees came from them.

The current turnout "is primarily people who live here, not military. We have a few military, but nothing compared to what it was then," she noted.

The number is expected to go higher and possibly crack 1,600. She said they've gotten some calls from hospitals, and may have to be taking ballots out today.

The phone rang all day Monday with people who still want to vote absentee, but it was too late, she said.

Those callers were referred to the secretary of state's office.

There's still a few Kennedy voting records for the county to break. Friend recalls turnout that November was high, 50-55 percent.

"I remember in that election there was one precinct in county that topped 90 percent turnout," she said, "the highest ever in that precinct. I believe it was (Precinct) 28 at Suncrest School."

http://www.dominionpost.com/a/news/2000/11/07/aa/

-- Martin Thompson (mthom1927@aol.com), November 08, 2000