Campaigns say blaze won't alter their strategy

AUSTIN BUREAU / Houston Chronicle ^ | Aug. 27, 2010 | GARY SCHARRER

[humblegunner]

Perry, White trust Harris election officials, voters

AUSTIN ­— State election officials said they will make sure Harris County gets enough voting machine replacements to pull off a smooth election, and neither major gubernatorial campaign plans major changes after a Friday morning fire consumed all of the county's 10,000 voting machines.

Texas Secretary of State Hope Andrade spoke with Harris County Judge Ed Emmett and other county officials on Friday, pledging to provide whatever necessary help once they finish assessing the damage and equipment needs.

"There is some time," Andrade spokesman Randall Dillard said. "It's not a good time, but it certainly gives us opportunity and the county time to assess what they need and for us to work together to meet those needs."

Campaigns simply need to stay on track, reminding voters, perhaps, "that they're still going to be able to vote," said Jeff Montgomery, an Austin-based marketing specialist.

"The best thing the campaigns can do is not to get distracted by this," he said.

[humblegunner]

The timing is curious. All the voting machines seem to have burned up a couple of months before the election, hmmm? It'll be interesting to see how this is addressed.

[shibumi]

Austin?

That there’s Liberal Territory, right?

They can always contact Lake County, Indiana or Cook County Illinois. Those two counties have a surplus of machines with Democrat “presets” already in place.

[humblegunner]

Nah, Austin is just where they are discussing this.

The warehouse fire was in north Houston.
It's our Harris County machines that got burned up.

I saw the smoke as I was driving back into town yesterday morning.

You're correct about Austin, though.. it's Birkenstock territory.

[shibumi]

Sorry - not that familiar with Texas counties.

[humblegunner]

No worries, I can’t even name a single Indiana county. ;-)