Georgia Primary Election Plagued by Voting Machine Chaos

(Bloomberg) -- Troubles with Georgia’s first new electronic voting machines in 18 years caused confusion and long lines during the state’s primary election Tuesday, particularly in the Atlanta area.

The primary elections around the country that have been held during the coronavirus pandemic have been wracked with problems as poll workers don’t show up for fear of infection and there is confusion about voting by mail.

Many in Fulton County, which includes Atlanta, didn’t receive absentee ballots in time, meaning if they wanted to vote they had to do so in person. But they had fewer places to cast their ballots. The state had reduced the number of polling places to encourage absentee voting and social distancing.

Voters stood in line for two hours at some precincts, as the state held a primary that had been delayed since March. West Virginia is also holding its primary on Tuesday.

Some precinct workers reported none of the new machines were working and that they were waiting for technical help, according to the Atlanta Journal Constitution.Names of registered voters were not showing upon the lists, and there were issues with the vote-recording cards. Some precincts had run through their supply of provisional paper ballots by 9 a.m.On Twitter, Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms urged voters to keep waiting: “If you are in line, PLEASE do not allow your vote to be suppressed,” she tweeted. “PLEASE stay in line. They should offer you a provisional ballot if the machines are not working.”

About 1.2 million Georgians had voted early, most of them using absentee ballots.Georgians have voted on computers with no paper trail since 2002. The state replaced them with new computerized ballot markers from Dominion Voting Systems late last year. The equipment creates a paper record. Critics have called it more complicated and expensive than a system based on hand-marked paper ballots.

In the presidential race, President Donald Trump is running unopposed and Democrat Joe Biden already has the delegates necessary to secure the nomination.