Technicians repair damaged voting machines ahead of August primaries

JACKSON, Miss. (WLBT) - Technicians are now repairing voting machines discovered damaged after the last elections, according to the Hinds County Election Commission Chair.

Commissioners say the problems were caused by movers, but county officials say they haven’t been provided proof of who’s at fault.

According to the Hinds County Election Commission, about 20 machines were damaged when returned to the warehouse after the November elections. Commissioners also said broken locks, missing latches and doors, and other issues were discovered.

They blame the delivery company.

Technicians said they are making repairs ranging from broken election voting machine covers to loose internal cables.

“If these machines had been damaged to the degree that they were when they first got there, the poll managers and voters would be calling and no one called. No one said anything about the machines until they were returned,” said Hinds County Elections Commission Chair Yvonne Robinson Horton.

Tuesday, the Commission Chair told supervisors more than $20,000 was needed for parts alone.

She said each machine has a logic and accuracy record of its function when leaving the warehouse. Hinds County Administrator Kenneth Wayne Jones said there is no proof to show who is responsible for the damage.

“I can’t make a determination on when the machines were broken, who broke them, or any of that,” said Jones. “I’m not going to sit here and say that was the company’s fault, because I don’t have anything coming from our side that can show beyond a shadow of a doubt that that company did that.”

Repairs are expected to be completed before the August 8 primaries.

Purchasing is in the process of reviewing four vendors for the transport contract.

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