Board discusses polling place problems

PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WPRI) -- The RI Board of Elections met Tuesday night to certify this month's elections, but also to discuss how to improve the voting process in the Ocean State.

Eyewitness News has learned that the voting machines in Rhode Island are 15 years old, and apparently we're the last state to be using that particular model. The board decided it's time to go to the legislature to ask for more money to replace them.

A variety of problems plagued polling places across the state on Nov. 6, including broken voting machines, long lines, and ballots being delivered to the wrong locations.

• Police Called to Chaotic Polling Place
• Wrong Ballots Delivered, Voters Turned Away

The board reviewed these issues at their meeting to better plan for future elections.

"The machines failed at an alarming rate, probably due to the many ballots that were being fed through them," said the board's Executive Director Robert Kando.

Kando tells us that late redistricting was another factor in the extended wait times at the polls, as the amount of precincts was reduced by about 100.

Also adding to the problem were the multiple-page ballots at some locations.

"If they haven't already come up with, decided how they're going to vote that ballot, that means they're going to be reading five pages of questions," added Kando.

The board also intends to take a closer look at the quality of the polling place employees, and look at hiring younger workers and providing them with more training.

"People that we're actually using are typically our seniors, some of the people who are available to work as poll workers, their language skills are not up to par," Kando said.

Despite all of the problems that arose, Kando tells us that only about 20 out of the 450 precincts in Rhode Island were affected.