Electronic voting system failure is far from a surprise, as I mentioned earlier, but it defies reason why these systems are in use. The latest news is that the state is missing nearly 20,000 votes.

Sarasota County voters cast about 16,000 more votes in the Florida governor’s race and in the Senate race than were recorded in the House race. About 4,000 more people cast ballots for the county’s Southern District Hospital Board than were recorded in the House race.

One of the major advantages of using e-voting machines is they are supposed to make it for difficult for voters to undervote, e-voting advocates have long said.

Sarasota County will begin a recount in the race Monday. County Supervisor of Elections Kathy Dent didn’t immediately return a phone call seeking comment on the undervote. An ES&S spokesman also didn’t not immediately return a phone call.

And while they might eventually comment on the phone, something tells me that Dent and ES&S are going to be reluctant to issue a written statement.