MUNCIE, Ind. (NLI) - Voters in Delaware County will have more time to cast their ballot today after a computer glitch shut down machines early this morning.
Judge Wayne Lennington ruled polling sites can stay open until 8:40 this evening. He said that time was based on when the last machine was fixed, and said it is a fundamental right of everyone to be allowed to vote. He also wanted to know why MicroVote, the company responsible for the machines, did not test them more thoroughly.
"They could have checked it yesterday or last week. That's their business," Lennington said. "All they had to do was check those cards and none of this would have happened."
Bill Haas of MicroVote said the glitch was his fault. He said the vote cards in the machines have pins, and the wrong pin was included with some vote cards. The mismatch caused machines to shut down.
"Most precincts were up and running by 8, some were going at 8:15 and then others followed," Haas said.
Lennington said the federal court could overturn his decision to extend polling hours, but hopes that will not be the case.
"If we have caused anybody to lose the right to vote, it's a shame, it's a sin, it's a crime, and it shouldn't happen," he said.
The glitch sparked an emergency meeting of the Delaware County Election Board. Democratic board member Phil Nichols initiated a motion to file a complaint to the State Election Board to investigate what happened and to hold MicroVote accountable. Nichols said an apology simply isn't enough.
"There's no doubt in my mind there are people today that are going to lose their vote because the machines were not operable at 6 a.m.," Nichols said.
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