The Log Cabin Democrat account of the recount of votes in the tight House race in Conway should at least mildly alarm everyone who cares about election accountability. Just exactly how do votes for state representative wind up being counted in a constable’s race? Multiply little “drop downs” of votes enough times in enough machines across a county and, without anybody really knowing unless they thought to challenge the overall outcome — and had the money to do it — who would ever know? I know this is a little paranoid. I know it is irrational. But I HATE the touch screen voting machines.
Note that, in Faulkner County, they at least had a paper trail that upheld the electronic recount. But only about 1,500 votes were cast in this race. Imagine if you thought something was up in a presidential race?
I’m with Terry Fiddler, who lost the recount after leading in the first tally:
Fiddler said he does not dispute the result of the process, but is disappointed that given the significant expense of electronic voting machines, “this is what we get.”