The early vote got the burn in greater Chicago this week.
Statehouse candidate Jim Moynihan (R), taking advantage of early voting in Cook County, tried to cast votes for himself and other GOP candidates on a touch screen ballot at a polling place in Schaumburg. The machine did not comply, according to Illinois Review, choosing Democrats instead.
“Clearly, I am concerned that citizens will be unable to vote for the candidate of their choice, especially if they are in a hurry and do not double check their ballot,” the publication reported Moynihan as saying. “I cannot say whether or not this was intentional, but Cook County voters deserve better and should not have their right to vote suppressed.”
The erroneous votes were never finalized, according to an elections official, and Moynihan was ultimately able to vote for his preferred candidates after notifying an election judge on site. According to Illinois Watchdog, the faulty machine was taken offline and described as being set up improperly. (No kiddin’.)
“This was a calibration error of the touch-screen on the machine,” a Cook County Board of Elections spokesperson said.
The “calibration error” in question: Pressing the center of each button caused the opposite candidate’s name to be selected, the Daily Herald reported.
Also voting early in Illinois this week was President Obama, who presumably had no difficulty casting a vote for his agenda.
