Chesterfield County is preparing for Election Day after a primary election saw a ballot shortage and controversial voter complaint.
Several precincts in a major Richmond suburb ran out of Democratic ballots in February's Virginia primary. Chesterfield ordered 299 voters to write their candidate's name on scrap paper, but the State Board of Elections rejected the makeshift ballots.
One of those 299 voters was Chesterfield resident and teacher Keshia Anderson. She filed a complaint with the Department of Justice and recently testified before the Senate Judiciary Committee.
While her vote did not count in the primary, Anderson said she hopes Chesterfield officials are now paying attention, specifically Chesterfield County Registrar Lawrence Haake III.
Anderson said Haake did not uphold his duty to get the ballots counted.
"I think they're paying attention now," said Anderson. "When I made a complaint I was frustrated. (Haake) should be held accountable for every ballot."
Haake regretted the issues that arose during primary season, but has focused on the future. When asked about the complaint, he had a mixed response.
"One word: frivolous," said Haake. "We've said repeatedly that we regret it, but not a single one of those people has ever called to talk to me."
Anderson acknowledged that she has not attempted to speak with Haake and said she does not intend to. Instead, Anderson went to higher authorities and seeks accountability from Haake, who she feels has hindered Chesterfield's voting process on more than one occasion.
"He still hasn't stood up and said, 'I'm responsible,' and he has not apologized for running out of ballots," Anderson said. "Hopefully (my complaint) will do something with Haake. How long are we going to continue to let him make mistakes? Every election something happens."
Chesterfield County also had problems handling the turnout in the presidential election year of 2004. Anderson felt the previous issues should have already inspired an improvement in preparation.
"They know in the past that there has been a large voter turnout. Why didn't they do something about it in the primary?" Anderson said. "It was not like no one knew. All across America, you knew people had been paying attention. You had to be anticipating a lot of people."
Haake said the county has taken all appropriate measures to ensure a smooth general election in 2008.
"We have split four precincts since that time, in other words, taken four large precincts and created four new ones," Haake said. "There are fewer people trying to get into the same place. We also have four new polling places -- four better facilities."
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Seems that no matter what the Registrar does, this woman will complain about it. Perhaps they should put her as the Registrar since she knows it all. But I doubt she would do anywhere near as good a job as the current occupant. He didn't anticipate 300 more people turning out? Ok it happens, it was just a primary.
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Lamie sounds like an appropriate name for you. The woman is complaining because her vote wasn't counted, cowboy. If your voted wasn't counted, would be OK with it. Don't think so, Palin is going to have to get as many low information voters as possible.
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