Ohio Secretary of State Jennifer Brunner and local election workers in 44 Ohio counties will have to scramble to deal with a voting machine manufacturer's revelation last week. All involved seem confident they can handle the problem without any problems on Election Day, Nov. 4.
It won't be the first challenge elections workers in Ohio have faced during the past several years. It probably won't be the last. Ohioans - in most counties - owe professional elections workers and temporary poll workers a vote of thanks for their efforts to make elections run smoothly and fairly.
But Brunner owes the company responsible for the most recent mistake something else - and she intends to deliver. She already has filed a lawsuit against the company, Premier Election Solutions.
Brunner did so after learning that during recent elections, some votes in at least nine counties were "dropped" because of computer glitches in Premier voting machines.
Friday, the company admitted a programming error was to blame for the problem. That came only after the company had maintained for some time that a conflict between anti-virus software and its system was to blame.
"We are indeed distressed that our previous analysis of this issue was in error," Premier President David Byrd wrote in a letter to Brunner.
Premier delivered voting machines to nearly four dozen Ohio counties with a pledge they would work as advertised. They didn't. Clearly, the company needs to be held accountable. More lawsuits like Brunner's should be filed when contractors fail to deliver what they promised to government entities, in our opinion.
Again, Brunner and elections officials in the counties with Premier machines are to be commended for addressing the problem quickly and effectively.
Because of their dedication and skill, it appears there is no reason for Ohioans to worry about whether their votes will be counted Nov. 4.
