Many Iowans are casting ballots electronically for the first time today and some fear glitches with the computerized machines are inevitable due to static electricity, lightning and untold numbers of other possible problems. U.S. Senator Chuck Grassley says he hopes the new touch-screen system in Iowa will run bug-free.
Grassley says “If it isn’t, it’s going to be a mess, for sure. Every county has back-up machines and except for a glitch of people having to wait, and hopefully everybody can wait until the back-ups come in, then I think we’re okay.” Grassley, who is not up for re-election this year, says he hopes Iowans will adapt to the new machines quickly.
Grassley says “It’s going to be a new experience. I hope people are not fearful of voting with the new machines and if they are fearful of voting, that they can get plenty of help to vote right there at the voting station. Everybody should go vote, regardless of the mechanics of voting and express their right.”
The U.S. Justice Department is dispatching a record 850 poll watchers today who’ll be watching for discrimination, fraud and glitches with the electronic voting machines. Grassley says he’s trying to remain optimistic. Grassley says “If there’s widespread problems, either widespread in our state or widespread nationally, it’s going to cause Congress to take another look at what we call the Help America Vote Act, the HAVA Act, but I believe we’re going to be in good shape in the final analysis.” The polls close at 9 P.M. in Iowa.