Marion County Indiana Voter Registration System Fails Again

Rich Van Wyk Channel 13 Eyewitness News

Marion County, March 20 - The system worked in the afternoon. Yet earlier during a statewide test Indiana's first ever voter registration system failed. Marion County workers couldn't enter voters' names and address.

Joel Miller with the Marion County Board of Voters Registration says, "Two days into the system we've had two failures. It is scary to think what could happen for the election."

Until now, each county kept their own voters registration records. The statewide system, mandated by Congress, is intended to reduce voter fraud and insure reliable results. Dozens of counties are participating in a simulated election, a six-day test.

Everyday county workers get a playbook that tells them what to do that day. It is a surprise so they can't plan in advance.


Friday error messages surprised workers when the system failed. Monday morning there were more error messages, a second, different failure.

How serious are the problems? The answer depends on who answers.

On Marion County's nonpartisan Board of Voters Registration, Miller, the Democrat, is "concerned. I am very concerned." Kyle Walker is the Republican. "It doesn't disturb me based on the types of problems they are. They are very easy to identify and very easy to correct."

The statewide voters registration system is the responsibility of Indiana's secretary of state. Republican Todd Rokita calls the test a success, saying in a prepared statement that county workers could have switched to a backup system.

The test runs through Friday. Everyone hopes the kinks are worked out of the system before it is put to a real test in May's primary election.