DELAND—More than one-fourth of Volusia County voters — 14,036 — used the new touch-screen voting machines in last month’s primary, according to a report released Wenesday by Volusia County Elections Supervisor Ann McFall.
That number includes 2,092 votes cast on touch-screens during two weeks of early voting, when about half of voters used the new touch-screens. In all, 51,692 voters cast ballots in the Sept. 5 election.
The 26-page analysis also includes the results of an audit McFall did of several voting precincts where “zero tapes” turned up missing.
Zero tapes are printed from voting machines the morning before ballots are cast to verify that no votes are reflected yet in memory cards.
McFall said poll workers probably tossed the tapes into the trash by accident and that no votes were lost.
In the report, election officials outlined a number of changes designed to help elections run more smoothly.
For example, McFall is revamping poll-worker training to include more instruction on how to complete required paperwork. Forms used by poll workers will be kept in a spiral binder to help keep them from getting lost.
She also plans to upgrade the online service at early-voting sites because computer problems caused delays.
In addition, the process for reporting vote totals on election night will change. The report says results will not include the percentage or number of precincts reporting because problems incorporating touch-screen results caused confusion during the primary. These figures will be announced throughout the evening.
