Problems Found in Optical Vote Readers

Florida lawmakers’ attempt to trade in punch cards for optical-scan ballots will not guarantee a mistake-free election, a newspaper study concluded.

The Miami Herald reported that a review of so-called undervotes in the 41 Florida counties that use optical-scan voting systems found 2,119 votes went uncounted in November’s contested presidential election. All had been erroneously marked, making them unreadable to scanners but easily discernible to anyone looking at them, it said.

State lawmakers are considering several balloting options, hoping to prevent problems in future elections.