If you did not follow the story, there was an issue with completed ballot security and the “tamper-proof” tape used on boxes of completed ballots. It was easily circumvented. After a bit of convincing, the state acknowledged the need for a different tape. They did not accept an offer from the vendor to provide instruction on its proper use.
I’m not sure it would have helped, but it couldn’t hurt.
After cutting the security tape (for one reason or another), it was taped over with a few inches of duct tape. That’s Ward 12 in Manchester. They even made their own custom labels (I’m not sure that’s allowed), so the voters there are beaming with pride at the seriousness with which their poll workers secure their votes.
There were other issues. As noted, Ward 12 used homemade labels instead of the ones provided by the Secretary of State, and a tabulation sheet showed a box with uncast ballots inside when it had completed ballots.
Someone looked in the box so that’s a good thing but what if they had not? “Gawrsh where’d all those ballots go. Mickey?”
Everything worked out in the end, but the lack of discipline or attention to detail is concerning, which reminds me. I received word that things were screwed up in Windham again. Of course they were, you say.
We’ll get to that little disaster in the coming days, but for the moment, New Hampshire clerks still have some issues with something as simple as taping a box shut to secure its contents.
And the chain of custody tracking change we reported here still has not been addressed.
