St. Clair, Madison County clerks have to print additional ballots

Due to the high turnout in the primary election, both the St. Clair and Madison County clerks had to print additional ballots for nearly 100 precincts.

St. Clair County Clerk Tom Holbrook said additional ballots were needed at 40 precincts.

“We’re reacting as fast as we can,” said Holbrook.

Madison County Clerk Debra Ming-Mendoza said she ran short at about 55 precincts.

Mendoza said a couple of polling places were kept open so people who had showed up on time could vote after the freshly printed ballots arrived.

Sheriff’s deputies were even rushing the ballots out to different locations, Mendoza said.

“We’re doing the best we can,” said Mendoza, who acknowledged there were upset voters.

Mendoza said her office prepared for 30 percent turnout, which was higher than previous primaries, but it still wasn’t high enough.

“I think it’s a good problem,” Mendoza said. “More people coming out to vote — how better can it be?”

In some precincts, people could vote via touch screen, Holbrook said, but there is only one touch screen per precinct, so there was more of a wait.

This story was originally published March 15, 2016 at 5:40 PM with the headline "St. Clair, Madison County clerks have to print additional ballots."