When a West Virginian casts an election ballot, he or she ought to be able to rely on whatever equipment is being used to record votes accurately. Period. No "ifs," "ands" or "buts." This isn't Florida, after all.
A few people who have taken advantage of "early voting" in our state have reported that the touch-screen voting machines they used did not initially record votes accurately. That is not acceptable. In all 55 counties, election officials should do whatever it takes to keep that from happening while early voting is in progress, and on Nov. 4.
Unfortunately, one of the three counties where the problem has been reported is ours. A few people who have cast ballots since last week at the Ohio County early voting station in the City-County Building have reported difficulties. When they tried to select specific candidates on the touch-screen machines, votes instead were recorded for their choices' opponents. In the cases of which we have heard, voters were able to correct the votes with the assistance of poll workers.
Secretary of State Betty Ireland has looked into the complaints. Her office has determined that programming for a few voting machines apparently was altered accidentally when the machines were moved to early voting locations. She has advised election officials in all the affected counties to recalibrate their machines.
We have little doubt that some Mountain State residents will view the situation as evidence of some sort of conspiracy. None exists, in our opinion. For one thing, the problem has been very, very obvious. For another, it has affected votes for different candidates, ranging from magistrate on up to president. And finally, too many conscientious, honest local poll workers have been aware of it for there to be any reasonable question about intentional tampering.
That said, the problem is, again, unacceptable. It already has been addressed at the Ohio County early voting station. But more needs to be done. Voting machines taken to every polling place in every county should be recalibrated after they are moved - then tested to ensure they are functioning properly.
We recognize that such recalibration and testing is an enormous amount of work. But it needs to be done. Now that the problem has been identified, there is no acceptable reason for it to be encountered on election day, Nov. 4.
West Virginians deserve honest, efficient elections. County and state officials should do whatever it takes to make that happen.