of ballots

By T.R. BONNETTE

The Natchez Democrat

NATCHEZ &045; High voter turnout produced an unexpected problem at Adams County polls Tuesday when 20 percent of polling locations ran out of ballots.

Polls short on ballots made photocopies, which have to be hand counted separately.

&uot;We predicted a big turnout so we ordered big (ballots). When we heard that there was going to be bad weather, we thought we had ordered too much. In hindsight, we didn’t have enough,&uot; Elections Commissioner Larry Gardner said.

Gardner said 70 to 75 percent of registered voters cast ballots in the election. The numbers were the largest in recent history.

Other voting problems included spoiled ballots.

&uot;We had to throw out a lot more ballots then we normally do,&uot; Gardner said. &uot;Some people wanted to vote for more than one president. One we had voted for five different people for president. I kind of think that one is more than enough,&uot; he said.

He also said that the number of absentee ballots, over 1,600, was the highest recorded that he could remember.

Tuesday’s election also yielded a large number of affidavits filed, but Gardner said that is not uncommon in a presidential election.

&uot;We always have a higher number of affidavits in an election like this, some vote affidavit who aren’t even registered to vote, but that’s normal,&uot; he said.

Gardner said the high turnout, which could be up as much as up as 15 percent from the 2000 election, may in part be due to the proposed amendment to Mississippi’s constitution that appeared on the ballot.

&uot;One thing that pulled a lot of people to this election was the amendment for traditional marriage,&uot; he said. &uot;There were all kinds of calls about it. It was an important issue to this county.&uot;

Gardner said he believes Adams County, more than many counties in Mississippi, does better with its ballots in reflecting true over numbers, because of superior voter rolls.

&uot;We have of good measure of out actual turnout,&uot; he said. &uot;When you look at percentage of voters, we generally do well, but this time it’s going to be even better.&uot;

With the high number of absentee votes, non-traditional votes and affidavits filed, Gardner said it could be as late as Friday before Adams County can be certified.

Concordia Parish reported no major poll problems. The handle on one voting machine did break off, but another machine was nearby to replace it, Clerk of Court Clyde Ray Webber said.