Sep. 14, 2004
Lengthy ballot, new Primary system
make for slower ballot processing
The complexity and length of the new primary ballot mean election results
in King County will come in slower tonight than in a typical elections.
The new 18-inch, consolidated ballot is 7-inches longer than ballots
in previous primaries and each ballot includes an average of 54 contests
and measures. The ballot grew in size due to the three separate party
sections and a non-partisan section. Tabulating the new ballot, which
is essentially serving the purpose of conducting three separate primaries,
takes roughly three times as long.
In past primaries, workers were able to tabulate more than 1,000 ballots
per hour. By noon today, workers tabulated an average of 300 to 500 ballots
per hour.
“We’re making every effort to tabulate the absentee ballots
and report as many as possible tonight” said Dean Logan, director
of King County Records, Elections and Licensing Services.
To ensure accuracy in the tabulating process, two election workers have
been assigned to each tabulating machine. When a ballot without the party
preference marked is inserted, the tabulating machine spits the ballot
out, allowing the election worker to verify that the voter did not make
a party selection, and reinsert the ballot -- a step which adds time to
the tabulating process.
“This process, although time-consuming, is just one of the complexities
of this new primary ballot,” said Logan. “Our goal is accuracy
over speed.”
To compensate for the additional processing time, Logan announced that
the county will continue tabulating returned absentee ballots through
the night – after initial absentee returns and results from the
polls are released.
The county intends to release updated absentee results early tomorrow
morning from the overnight counting. All ballot processing is conducted
in a public setting and in the presence of official observers from the
three major political parties.
“As long as the volume of returned ballots remains constant, we
will increase the frequency with which we tabulate and report updated
election results,” Logan said.
Logan expects election results released tonight to include 40 percent
of absentee ballots returned prior to Election Day.
“The good news is turnout has exceeded our expectations for this
new primary,” said Logan. We’ve received a record number of
absentee ballots this year. We credit aggressive voter outreach and the
heightened political climate for what could be a record absentee turnout.”
View the election reporting schedule: http://your.kingcounty.gov/elections/2004sep/schedule.htm
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