Wednesday, November 17, 2004
Commissioners aren't sure whether the work will be done openly or privately.
MERCER, Pa. -- The members of a blue-ribbon committee to investigate why Mercer County's general election went wrong are expected to be named Thursday.
County commissioners said they planned to finalize appointments to the board and have all members confirmed by the time commissioners hold their regular meeting Thursday.
Unable to vote
A problem with touch-screen voting machines in 13 heavily Democratic districts of the Shenango Valley left many voters unable to vote and some votes apparently not tallied. There were not enough backup paper ballots at the precincts to offer to those unable to use the machines. As a result, thousands of votes may have been lost.
At a work session Tuesday, commissioners agreed the committee will consist of chairmen of the county's Democrat and Republican parties, a representative of the League of Women Voters, a representative each from Grove City College and Penn State University, a representative from the Urban League and one from the Pennsylvania Economy League.
The representative from the Urban League was added to the list after county Controller Thomas Amundsen said a black member ought to be on the panel because the problems were concentrated in areas where blacks make up a significant part of the population.
Disagreement over media
Commissioners disagreed on whether work sessions of the group should be open to the media.
Commissioner Michele Brooks said she felt the decision should be up to the committee but said she was not opposed to the media's observing the panel's work as long as the deliberations were not publicized.
Commissioner Brian Beader said the sessions should be closed to allow the committee to work without public pressure.
Commissioner Olivia Lazor said it might be good to have someone from the media observe "to get a true sense at the end of what transpired." But she agreed that deliberations should not be reported on until the final report.
Commissioners also agreed to send, as soon as possible, a questionnaire to election judges asking them what they observed and asking for recommendations for changes. The surveys will be given the committee for review.
Speed an issue
Lazor noted that the investigation must move fast. She said that since Jim Bennington, director of elections, has been ordered to seal the voting machines until the investigation is over, the committee must finish before April when machines need to be tested for the May primary.
Once the committee is named, commissioners said they will launch the investigation with a public meeting, after which the committee will be left to do its job without anyone, including commissioners, interfering.