Over 25% Of Precincts Have Been Checked In Election Review

BALTIMORE (WJZ) -- New information about the state Board of Elections' review of the Baltimore primary results. More than a quarter of the city's precincts have been checked for discrepancies in the voter count.

Political reporter Pat Warren has reaction to the process.

For the first time, the Board of Elections has allowed the public to watch the review process, only to draw more criticism from dissatisfied candidates and voters.

This is a precinct by precinct review to compare the number of voters who checked in at their polling place against the number of votes counted at the end of the day---and where the numbers don't add up, to find out why.

"Will the results change? Yes. Will it affect the winner? It seems unlikely. The margins are big enough," said State Deputy Administrator Nikki Charlson.

But critics here say that doesn't change their opinion of how the election as a whole was handled.

"I don't feel great about this process, particularly this most recent process and I don't think the voters feel---I think the voters feel the same way," said Council District 5 candidate Derrick Lennon.

"For people to believe they have a voice in voting, I think it's important that we get this process correct," said Council District 8 candidate Reggie Fugett.

"My concern is this is a bogus process. There's more votes than people checked in. Something's wrong. When votes come out of nowhere, something's wrong," said Council District 10 candidate Christine Digman.

That's what the Dixon campaign wants to determine.

"It has been frustrating to get information since Election Day. You know, clearly Sheila Dixon picked up votes since Election Day in provisional ballot counting, the counting that went on for two weeks at the Board of Elections. It's safe to say we were surprised when the election was decertified Thursday but that's a step in the right direction," said Dixon campaign attorney Martha McKenna.

A spokeswoman for the winner, Catherine Pugh, says the presumptive mayor doesn't expect the review to affect the outcome of the primary.

The Board of Elections expects a report on Thursday.

Depending on what the review finds, the city may have to put in some fixes before the November general election.