Glitch causes election to go low-tech
Old-fashioned method to decide Shawnee mayor, city commission race

BY ANN KELLEY

Published: October 7, 2008

SHAWNEE — A computer issue will have voters using old-fashioned ballot boxes for the Nov. 4 Shawnee city commission election.

Pottawatomie County Election Board Secretary Diana Knight said metal ballot boxes will be used because of a computer glitch.

Voters will be given two ballots — a white one for the statewide election and a pink ballot for the city election. They will use the electronic box for the statewide election.

The city election is a run-off for Shawnee’s mayor and Ward 2 commissioner.

Knight said she discovered the problem while trying to prepare the ballots. Shawnee’s city charter requires the names of candidates in city races be rotated so each candidate’s name appears at the top of the ballot an equal number of times.

The computer system wouldn’t allow it, Knight said.

She said she decided to put the election on a separate ballot to comply with the city charter. Since there are so many state races, no additional electronic machines were available to borrow for the separate ballot, she said.

Knight said each of Shawnee’s 19 precincts will be given a ballot box with three locks. Three members of the election board will have keys, and all three must be present when boxes are opened, she said.

The election results for the city race will be available later than usual, because those ballots will be counted after the statewide election, Knight said.

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