Computer problems delay election returns

Administrator unsure how soon results will come

By Paul A. Anthony
March 7, 2006

Problems with some of Tom Green County's new electronic scanners have delayed ballot counting in today's primary election, county elections administrator Mike Benton said.

Of 20 scanners that arrived in the elections office by 8:30 p.m., Benton said three showed trouble shutting down. Others that have not been turned in also reported problems, he said.

"They're being turned in, and we're determining from there," which machines have problems, Benton said, adding that the problem has not been with the actual casting or reading of ballots.

Ninety minutes after polls closed, the county had not released early-voting totals, and Benton said he does not know when those numbers will be released.

"This is brand new for us," the first-year administrator said, "so we can't say for sure."

Dennis McKerley, the county's Republican Party chairman, was inside the elections office. He said by 8:40 p.m. the office had only started to count mail-in ballots, meaning the count of early ballots had yet to begin.

Precinct 2 Commissioner Karl Bookter, who is seeking re-election, said he will soon be going to bed and will learn the results Wednesday morning. He said he wasn't bothered by the delay.

"What can you do?" he said. "No one is doing anything intentionally wrong. They have a lot of new equipment down there."

His challenger Smokey Angermeier said he was "frustrated and nervous."

Angermeier was watching television around 9:45 p.m. and said he didn't know if he would stay up for results.

"I have no idea how this race is going to go," he said. "I hate that. I just don't know."

Locally, the Republican primary election features three three-candidate races ? for District 72 state representative, county court-at-law No. 2 and Precinct 2 county commissioner ? as well as a two-person race for Precinct 1 justice of the peace.

Early-voting totals were released in Scurry and Mitchell counties, showing challenger Drew Darby with a lead over incumbent Rep. Scott Campbell, 53 percent to 27 percent.