UPDATE: Seven voting machines in Erie County uncounted (PA)
GoErie.com. November 4, 2009. By Kevin Flowers
Original: http://www.goerie.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=2009311049867

Erie County election officials have discovered seven voting machines whose vote totals are not currently included in the county's unofficial vote count for Tuesday's municipal election, a situation that could affect the tight race for Erie County executive.

Five of the seven machines are at Millcreek Township voting districts and voting districts in Concord Township and Fairview each have one machine that was not tabulated, said Doug Smith, the Erie County clerk of elections.

Smith said county election officials do not know how many votes are contained on each of the machines.

Smith said election officials will bring the machines back to the Erie County Courthouse later today to tabulate the votes they contain.

County election officials are currently conducting a count of about 1,200 absentee ballots, which could factor into the county executive's race between Democrat Barry Grossman of Fairview and Republican Mike Kerner of Greene Township.

According to unofficial vote totals tabulated by the county on Tuesday night, Grossman received 25,423 votes to 25,082 votes for Kerner a difference of 341 votes.

Grossman said Tuesday night he believes it's unlikely that Kerner could surpass him, although he admitted the possibility that absentee ballots could swing election results either way.

Both candidates and/or their campaign representatives are monitoring the absentee ballot count this morning, which is not expected to be completed today. The county plans its official election count on Friday, but Smith said earlier today that a recount is possible in the race.

That means it could be Friday or later before a winner is officially declared in the county executive's race.

Kevin Flowers