Election administrator resigns over ES&S' Gross Incompetence

Texarkana Gazette (Oct 28) reports that Miller County Arkansas Election Administrator Robby Selph will resign effective Dec. 31 because employees of the company providing the voting machines and software are grossly incompetent, mean-spirited and can't spell.

Selph, a certified public accountant, turned in his letter of resignation Thursday. As the county's election administrator, he coordinates all elections from ballot preparation to hiring the election workers for the general elections, party primary elections and school elections. Selph helped coordinate the change from paper ballots to the electronic balloting required by federal law.

Election Systems and Software (ES&S) was selcted bu Secretary of State Charlie Daniels to provide election machines and related software. Selph said he was leaving because the ES&S "lacks competency to make their equipment work timely and effectively. They are grossly incompetent and make a difficult job impossible to do. They can't spell, meet deadlines, send documents to the right address or code elections correctly. They leave races off the ballot for us to correct, they can't program their software to work and you have to hand add the results. And they don't return phone calls."

Selph has served five years as the election administrator." While this has been one of the most difficult things I have ever done in my life, it was one of the most rewarding as well. Although upset with ES&S incompetence, Selph praised several peopel working and helping with the elections, his fellow election commissioners, and the Miller County Clerk and Voter Registrar and her staff.