A report by the D.C. auditor sharply criticizes too many errors -- including dead people -- on the city's voter registration rolls.
With the Democratic presidential primary and local races on next Tuesday's ballot, plenty of people were voting at the Dorothy Height Library in Ward 7 Wednesday, including 22-year-old Robin Smith with her mother and grandmother. It’s a family tradition.
“I believe every person should come out,” said Smith’s grandmother, Doris Ann Porter. “Nobody should have to encourage anyone.”
“I've only missed one time and that was when I delivered my daughter,” said Smith’s mother, Robin Porter Smith.
But when Robin Smith tried to vote, she wasn't listed despite voting there before.
“And she had to do a special ballot,” her grandmother said. “I don't understand that.”
The new auditor report says there are too many voting roll mistakes -- including dead voters.
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“There are lots of duplications,” D.C. Auditor Kathy Patterson said. “There are lots of folks who are deceased and should be removed from the rolls.”
Even properly registered voters have address or other errors, Patterson said.
“One of our concerns is the scrubbing of the voter rolls,” she said.
The city has about 440,000 registered voters.
At the elections office, officials say there's a new three-member board, which takes the audit seriously but is busy with Tuesday's voting.
“Once we're done with the June 14 primary, we'll be able to submit a response to the audit,” Margarita Mikhaylova said.
Patterson urges everyone to vote despite the problems.
