11072018 - News Article - The Latest: Indiana county seeks FBI probe of election woes

The Latest: Indiana county seeks FBI probe of election woes
NWI Times
November 07, 2018
https://www.nwitimes.com/news/national/govt-and-politics/the-latest-indiana-county-seeks-fbi-probe-of-election-woes/article_02d9843b-2c51-52b0-a484-d793a5fe1622.html
VALPARAISO, Ind. (AP) — The Latest on delays in counting votes cast for Tuesday's election in some Indiana counties (all times local):

4:20 p.m.
Officials in a northwestern Indiana county plagued by vote counting delays are asking the FBI to investigate alleged violations of state election law.

Porter County's commissioners asked the FBI on Wednesday to investigate "scores of alleged violations of Indiana Election Law submitted by poll workers, voters and the public" that the commissioners had received.

The county hasn't reported any Election Day results due to an array of problems on Tuesday, including the need for 12 county polling sites to stay open late Tuesday after those sites failed to open on time.

Vote counting didn't get underway until Wednesday morning, more than 15 hours after the first polling places closed. It's unclear when that work would be completed.

The situation is delaying final election results in three state legislative races.

3:30 p.m.
Officials in a northwestern Indiana county plagued by vote counting delays say the release of General Election results may face yet another delay.

Vote counting began Wednesday morning in Porter County after a mix of problems, including the need for 12 county polling sites to stay open late Tuesday after those sites failed to open on time. Officials initially said vote counting was expected to be completed by early Wednesday evening.

But by Wednesday afternoon officials said information from the county commissioners indicates that "the release of election results may be unlikely today."

The county commissioners have ordered the county sheriff's department to secure all the areas where votes are being counted.

2:10 p.m.
Vote counting is underway in a northwestern Indiana county that hasn't reported any General Election results.

Porter County's commissioners and its voter registration office say counting began Wednesday morning of ballots cast Tuesday and during early voting and by mail.

The county's election board says results won't be released until votes are counted in all precincts.

But Porter County still has more vote counting ahead. County officials say ballots cast after 6 p.m. Tuesday at 12 county polling sites a judge ordered to stay open late won't be counted until Nov. 16, along with all provisional ballots cast.

County Commissioner Laura Blaney says the counting delay was caused by several problems, including the late voting and absentee and early ballots not being sorted in a timely fashion.