Audit: Problems In County Voting System

There are major problems in Riverside County’s voting systems according to a new report Tuesday.

But, the new report also finds the flaws can be fixed.

It’s been almost four months since the November election, but, the battle over how our votes are counted continues.

Ever since election watchdog groups uncovered official vote tally sheets with scratched out numbers and incomplete math and revealed that a bathroom was used to store highly sensitive voting machines there’s been some doubt.

Riverside County Supervisors hired Former District Attorney Grover Trask’s law firm in October to investigate.

They found election workers have chain of custody problems with voting materials. Some voting machines had broken security seals. Riverside County failed 8 of 41 state rules, leaving some supervisors very concerned.

“If somebody had wanted to manipulate the election, if they had somebody inside one of those 35 people, it wouldn’t have been hard to do that. I’m worried about that,” said Supervisor Marion Ashley.

County Registrar Barbara Dunmore defended her office and her continuing use of controversial electronic voting machines.

“A third of our votes on electronic voting was cast at early voting sites. There are no restrictions in using electronic voting at early voting sites.”

This election audit wasn’t cheap. It cost cash-strapped Riverside County nearly $400,000.

Watchdog group Save-R-Vote says they’re finding it difficult to continue their own independent investigation.

“We’re having difficulty getting some of the documents. They’re being withheld from us. And we’re being told they won’t release them because they might cause the public to be confused.'”