Uncertainty remains on Benton County ballots

Benton County election officials were uncertain Wednesday afternoon when they would have a final vote count from Tuesday’s election.

The county’s three machines used for tabulating paper ballots all malfunctioned Tuesday night and remained out of service through the day Wednesday. Kim Dennison, the county’s election coordinator, said a service technician was en route to Bentonville.

“Someone from ES&S is coming from Kansas,” Dennison said. "They’re supposed to be here around 4 p.m.”

Dennison said the machines were tested and working before the election. One problem had been detected and repaired by Election Systems & Software prior the election, she said, but a different problem came up Wednesday night.

“All three broke down, they just started throwing code, giving us a ‘sensor error,’" Dennison said.

Dennison said the machines broke down before the county could run the absentee ballots through them. With the number of paper ballots remaining to be counted, she said, it could be Friday or later before the tally is completed if the machines are not repaired.

John Brown Jr., chairman of the Benton County Election Commission, said that if the machines are repaired the ballots will be processed through them immediately. Dennison said the counting will be completed as quickly as possible, but several thousand paper ballots that were printed on election day will have to be counted by hand since the county was unable to obtain ballot stock that fits the machines.

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