Election Day Investigation Says One Employee Responsible for Voting Glitch

CORDOVA, Tenn. - The problems on Election Day have been narrowed down to the actions of one man.

The Shelby County Election Commission has completed and released the results of its investigation. Election commissioners are pointing fingers at a computer I.T. Manager in charge of loading software.

It was the way information was loaded into the voter registration rolls that cause county-wide chaos on Election Day. An investigation by the Election Commission concluded that one man loaded data wrong, and there were no checks or balances to catch it.

"It is absolutely a serious thing, it's a serious thing," said Election Commission Chairman Bill Giannini. "And it will be addressed and we will make certain going forward that there is a system."

Giannini said the employee entered May's poll books instead of August. So people who early voted in May but not in this election were turned away.

The commission said it plans to work with the software program to improve the poll book program. The commission will also create a system of checks and balances when it comes to data input.

"That's the thing that's been a concern for me from the beginning that we did not have a system in place to catch that before the polls opened at 7am," said Giannini.

But Giannini said the vote counting machines worked perfectly and August was a valid election. He said a maximum of 3200 people could have been turned away from the polls without voting and likely, they did not all show up.

That is not enough to affect the outcome of any race. But the Chairman of the Democratic Party, Van Turner, is not satisfied with the investigation.

"I think it's incomplete and more issues need to be addressed," said Turner. "We have statements and reports from those who did not vote in the May election that were told they had early voted as well."

Two losing democratic candidates have already filed suit, although a chancellor won't hear it until Monday. The Democratic Party has not yet determined if it will file as well.

The election is expected to be certified Thursday. At that time, there is a five day window to contest the results or ask for a recount.

"We're talking about the right to vote," said Turner. "This is not something we take lightly here in this country."

As for the employee the commission said is to blame. The commission said it is unclear whether he will face disciplinary action or not. As for now, he is still on the job.

"Our committee did not find any evidence what so ever of any criminal acting or criminal intent," said Giannini.

The TBI is also conducting an investigation into the Election Day problems.