Magic Pens Used in Rogers Park Vote

By Kevin Robinson in News on Feb 6, 2008 5:42PM

Just when you think it's safe to vote in Chicago, something like this has to happen.

20 voters in the 49th Ward got to cast super-secret ballots yesterday after election judges told them that the pens they were using contained "invisible ink," and the scanners would still record their votes. "Part of me was thinking it does sound stupid enough to be true,'' Amy Carlton told the Sun-Times. She voted with the magic pen anyway, only to be told by election officials later that the explanation she was given was stupid enough to be untrue.

City election board spokesman James Allen told the Tribune "You spend months trying to prepare for every contingency.... Trying to anticipate every possible way people might be confused . . . then this? Incredible." When Carlton when to the ward committeeman's office to ask about the magic pens being used in this year's election, she was told "Yeah, that's how they're doing it this year."

Carlton did get to recast her ballot (with a regular, non-magic pen). Election officials say they have contacted all voters that used the magic pens and asked them to come back and vote.

Image via mjkmjk