Weather Causing Some Ballot Issues

Written by: Brian Neudorff

UPDATE: Heard from CNN - It appears that the wet soggy ballot problem is also occurring in Virginia. Now voters are being told to dry off before they vote...

A coastal storm is bringing wet weather to two key battle ground states in the 2008 presidential election. This rain has already caused problems in North Carolina & Virginia. Rain typically causes turn out problems, but this time it has caused problem with the paper ballots and voting machines. People waiting to vote outside in lines are getting SOAKED by the heavy rains. When they get into vote their hands are getting the ballots wet and making them soggy. Then the machines can't read the ballots.

From the DigitalJournal.com:

“When we put the ballot through the scanner it is soggy and doesn’t go through,” explains Cherie Poucher, the director of the Wake County Board of Elections. Hopefully, this situation does not cause any problems.

For those that are dealing with the rain and soggy ballots, hang in there. The problem should get resolved soon enough. Hopefully the weather will clear later on in the day.