Some troubles arise in early balloting in Mississippi
 Associated Press - August 7, 2007 2:44 PM ET

Some voters faced long lines and the usual election day glitches today (Tuesday) in party primaries in Mississippi.

Republican voters had to leave some Hinds County precincts when workers failed to arrive.

In other areas, early problems with voting machines were cleared up by later in the day.

Polls opened at 7 a.m. and were to close at 7 p.m.

In Marion County, election officials say hot, humid weather caused some voting machine paper jams in at least one-third of the 23 precincts early today.

Janette Nolan, deputy circuit clerk who was coordinating the elections and making sure the machines are running, says the paper jams caused no delays for voters and did not impact voting numbers.

She says the jam only made it impossible for voters to see their ballots in print.

In Rankin County, voting machines had incorrect information loaded onto the electronic ballots and voters had to use paper ballots.

A Madison County election official said no problems had been reported there.

Staffing shortages led to some precincts in Hinds County being without Republican primary workers.

Officials said more than two dozen Hinds County precincts were without Republican ballots when the polls opened.

Pete Perry, chairman of the Hinds County Republican Executive Committee, says the precincts were manned later in the morning.