FINDLAY, Ohio – On Election Day, multiple voters in Hancock County experienced technical problems with the electronic voting machines used at the McComb Church of Christ polling site. Voters reported that their voting cards displayed messages indicating they had already voted, forcing them to try several machines before a ballot could be cast.
Voters describe the issue
Rick Hohenbrink, who arrived early with friends, said the first six machines he approached each displayed a notice that his card had already been used. He managed to fill out a ballot before the error appeared, and after poll workers intervened, he was finally able to submit his vote.
Brett Montague faced a similar problem. “It wouldn’t accept the card. I probably went to four or five different machines. They started the whole process over again. Finally the third machine on the second go‑around accepted my card,” he explained.
Election officials explain the cause
Randy Wanamaker, an IT assistant with the Hancock County Board of Elections, said the difficulty stemmed from a misstep in configuring the check‑in system. The voting cards, which are reused from election to election, were not cleared properly and retained data from previous cycles. As a result, the machines mistakenly believed the cards had already been used.
Wanamaker clarified that while voters’ names are used to verify check‑in, that information does not travel to the voting machine or appear on printed ballots. Consequently, officials could not match a specific ballot to an individual voter who reported an error.
Assurance of ballot integrity
After the glitches were addressed, the board of elections conducted a double‑check of the vote count. The number of check‑ins recorded at the McComb Church of Christ location matched the total ballots cast – 304 – confirming that every voter who checked in was accounted for.
Hohenbrink visited the board of elections to confirm that his vote had been recorded and not duplicated. While the board could not show him his exact ballot, they assured him that the overall tally remained accurate.
What voters should know
County officials advise any voter who encounters a similar error to notify poll workers immediately. Staff can reset the machine or provide an alternate device to ensure the ballot is completed. The board also plans to review the card‑clearing process ahead of future elections to prevent recurrence.
Hancock County’s election officials remain confident that the integrity of the election was maintained despite the technical hiccups, and they encourage all residents to participate in upcoming local and state elections.
Original reporting: 13abc WTVG Toledo (news) — read the source article.
