Nine days after Lincoln County voters cast ballots, electionofficials have closed the books on the Aug. 5 Democraticprimary.

A recount Thursday — requested by three candidates — broughtto a close a tumultuous period that began election night when thevote-scanning machine broke down. Aside from some slightly largervote totals, results from the first primary did not change in therecount.

While officials have found no indication of voter fraud in theprimary, the first round of this year’s election was not withoutits share of irregularities.

Along with the vote-scanning machine malfunction, which seems tohave become ‘par for the course’ in Lincoln County, there werelock- and seal-related problems with some ballot and supply boxes.One ballot box even had to be pried open on election night becauselock keys were accidentally put inside.

The announcement of some precinct-by-precinct totals, numbersthat were already included in an earlier vote total announcement,added some unnecessary confusion to the election night mix.

We echo the sentiments of several candidates and officials whosaid it is important that the community have confidence in theelection process and assurance that votes are counted properly.Thursday’s recount was an attempt to provide those assurances, andthe candidates who asked for the recounts were well within theirrights to do so. Their interest in the election process isappreciated.

What is neither appreciated nor needed is the spreading ofunfounded rumors and innuendoes regarding election fraud ormisconduct. Of course, anyone who can prove fraud — committedeither by a voter, a candidate or a poll worker — should take thatproof to the proper authorities. We have every confidence theculprits will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.

The irregularities — although mostly minor — do show there’sroom for improvement in the Lincoln County election process. Thevote-scanner is less than three years old, but if it is not up toits task and is continually going to be a bone of contention,county supervisors should seriously look at replacing it.

Another important area is the training of poll workers, whooften face a long, hard and thankless task. Those workers shouldget the training and support they need from their executivecommittees, whether it be Democrat or Republican.

Votes from the Democratic first primary have been counted andrecounted. It’s time now time to concentrate on the Aug. 26 secondprimary and then the general election on Nov. 4.

Let’s hope those days go smoother.