Published: October 26, 2007 11:55 am      

Optical-scan ballots approved for Mineral bond levy election

KEYSER, W.Va. - Opting not to use the electronic voting machines for the Mineral County Board of Education's bond levy election next year, the Mineral County Commission approved the use of the optical-scan ballots instead.

The ballots are tabulated by the ballot-counting machine, which has been used in the county for a number of years.

The board voted Oct. 11 to put a $15.8 million bond issue before the county's voters Feb. 2.

"We're not required to use the Avitronics because it's not a federal election," County Clerk Lauren Ellifritz told the commissioners Tuesday. "But we do have the choice of using the optical-scan ballots or paper ballots."

She recommended, since the May 13 primary election is so close to the levy election, that the county use the ballots that can be automatically counted by the machine.

Commission President Janice LaRue agreed.

"Paper ballots would have to be counted by hand by the poll workers," she said.

"It will be much easier to bring the ballots into the courthouse and run them through the machine."

Commissioner Cindy Pyles made the motion to use the optical-scan ballots, seconded by Commissioner Wayne Spiggle.

Although the special levy election is paid for by the board of education, it must run through the county clerk's office, where Ellifritz also serves as the county's elections clerk.

The levy as proposed by the board would raise an estimated $15.8 million for renovations and new construction, which would result in the deconsolidation of several schools throughout the county.

The three-year plan calls for Elk Garden, Burlington, New Creek, Fountain, Wiley Ford and a newly constructed Keyser Primary School to house pre-K through fourth grades; Fort Ashby Primary to house pre-K and kindergarten; and Frankfort Intermediate to house grades one through four.

Frankfort and Keyser middle schools would house grades five through eight, and Frankfort and Keyser high schools would house grades nine through 12.

Superintendent of Schools Skip Hackworth said the plan would result in a more consistent configuration throughout the county.

The board has also submitted a request for $9 million from the West Virginia School Building Authority.

Contact Liz Beavers at lbeavers@times-news.com.