Schwarzenegger Hits E-voting Snag

Opps! Looks like a snag with one of California's electronic voting machines almost cost Arnie his chance to be counted.  Good thing there was a paper provisional ballot there to rectify the situation.

Schwarzenegger Hits Snag at Polling Place (LA Times; Reg. required):

Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger showed up to his Brentwood neighborhood polling station today to cast his ballot in the special election — and was told he had already voted.

Elections officials said a Los Angeles County poll worker had entered Schwarzenegger's name into an electronic voting touch screen station in Pasadena on Oct. 25. The worker, who was not identified, was testing the voting machine in preparation for early voting that began the next day.

Somehow, Schwarzenegger's name was then placed on a list of people who had already voted, said Conny B. McCormack, the Los Angeles County registrar.

Schwarzenegger's aides were informed of the problem when they arrived this morning to survey the governor's polling station. The poll worker told the governor's staff he would have to use a "provisional" ballot that allows elections workers to verify if two votes were made by the same person. McCormack said the poll worker did the correct thing.

Reports are already coming in that others who have requested paper ballots in this election are being told they must use the electronic machines.  Guess it helps to have your staff survey the polling station first, eh?