Dems concerned about voting machines - Charge Republican election officials shortchanging Democratic-heavy precincts

MILFORD — Meeting at what they termed as their “first, long-awaited meeting” with the with Pike County election officials on Aug. 15, members of the Pike County Democratic Committee expressed concern about the planned placement of new voting machines in the upcoming presidential election. In a Pike County Democratic Committee statement to the media the committee reported members expressed concern that anticipated voter turnout on Election Day, Nov. 4, could well result in long lines at polling places thereby discouraging voters and suppressing the vote, especially among mothers with young families and commuters. Pike County Board of Elections representatives, according to the statement, assured those present that additional voting machines had been acquired for Blooming Grove, Delaware, and Dingman townships. Democrats said they pointed out that this left out Lehman Township, which is among the County’s fastest growing townships and has the largest number of registered Democrats. In response board of elections representatives agreed to provide the Democratic Committee with a count of the voting machines to be available at each Pike County polling place and a count of all voters who voted in the 2004 General Election so that the committee might evaluate whether a sufficient number of machines are available and suggest to the board of elections where additional voting machines are necessary. In summary, the Democrat’s statement charged that the board of elections of the Republican county administration chose to add voting machines in townships with a greater number of registered Republican voters than Lehman Township, which has a greater number of registered Democratic voters and registered voters overall. See the provided table. “In particular, it seems that Lehman Township should have more voting machines than Delaware Township as Lehman has over 1,900 more registered voters. Our current understanding is that Delaware Township is to have six machines in each voting district, while Lehman is to have only five in each district,” the Democrats complained. “As it stands now, therefore, and in view of the large number of voters expected in the upcoming General Election on November 4, residents of Lehman Township in particular are cautioned that there will be long lines at the polling places serving Lehman Township. The Pike County Democratic Committee, though continuing its efforts with the Pike County Board of Elections on voters’ behalf, advises voters to anticipate delays on Election Day and plan accordingly.” the statement Democratic statement concluded.