From the clerk: Tabulator replaced

Hello Laketown residents,

This is an update regarding Laketown’s tabulator going down on Day 4 of Early Voting. Just before 10 a.m. on Tuesday, October 29^th, our tabulator had a paper jam. The paper jam resulted in an error code we could not clear. We called Election Source to help resolve the issue, and the opinion we received was that our memory cards were damaged and unable to communicate, and that we needed new cards from the county. Our county clerk was kind enough to deliver us a new tabulator with new cards.

Tabulators are the brains that operate and count our ballots. The downside is that when a tabulator goes down, the ballot is not immediately read. Tabulators are not infallible, and when they fail there are back-up procedures in place. The procedures ensure that voting continues uninterrupted. We follow the protocols put in place and all chains of custody are followed.

We always vote on paper ballots, and when the tabulator is down, those ballots are then placed in an auxiliary bin that is secure and locked. The auxiliary bin is a built-in compartment used when tabulators fail. Every vote that was cast on Tuesday remained in the same secure bin until the polls closed at 4 p.m. Upon the polls being closed, all the ballots from Day 4 were removed and counted in the new Tabulator with the new memory cards. Our numbers balanced perfectly.

We were in touch with the Michigan State Bureau of Elections throughout the day, keeping them updated with the situation. Thank you to the residents who voted on Tuesday who were courteous and understanding. We are up and running and residents are voting. Please come out and vote!

Kind regards,

Amber Davis
Laketown Township Clerk