DeKalb Fined $15,000 for voting equipment security breach

The State Elections Board has fined DeKalb County $15,000 for storing electronic voting machines in a leaky warehouse and unknowingly selling voting cards. County officials admit they auctioned off furniture without realizing it had voter access cards and ballot decoders inside. The Secretary of State has repossessed all of the cards.

In addition to the fine, state officials will monitor DeKalb’s inventory process and storage facilities through the 2008 presidential election.

Secretary of State Karen Handel says given the circumstances, the incident did not endanger any election results.

"Had this not been training equipment, it would’ve been a different situation," Handel says. "But this was training equipment that was never programmed to be used in an election."

Nonetheless, Handel says the DeKalb incident is a wake-up call to all counties. Her office is auditing electronic voting computers, software, policies and procedures.