GREENFIELD, Mass. (WWLP) – The Massachusetts primary is only a few weeks away, on September 6th, but before that can happen Clerk’s offices across the state have to test ballot machines to make sure they work.
It’s required by the state to test these machines before Election Day and Wednesday in Greenfield was a good example as to why.
Kathryn Scott is the city Clerk for Greenfield. On Wednesday, she checked every detail on the D-S 200 voting machine to make sure it’s ready for September 6th. However, Wednesday’s test hit a snag. The machine was processing some ballots but rejecting others, an issue that was seen for both democratic and republican ballots. Scott said that’s why tests like these are so important.
“We do the testing so if this occurs, we get it straightened out,” said Greenfield City Clerk Scott.
Now she’s planning to contact the vendor, which she says responds within 24 hours. However, if this were to happen on Election Day, Scott said, “I would have instructed the warden in the precinct to insert all ballots into our hand count bin.”
She would then call in tech support to see if the problem can be fixed, “If we’re able to get tech support and they come and they’re able to fix it for us, then after that point they will be machine counted and then the hand counts will be added in.”
While there were issues Wednesday, Scott said this is what voters should know.
“Whether they’re able to cast it into the machine like you’re normally supposed to be able to do or if you have to cast your ballot into the emergency bin, the hand count bin, your ballot will be counted, your vote will be counted.”
Election Day is September 6th. In Greenfield, the polling place is the gym at Greenfield High School.
