The Votamatic is used on some ballot boxes to punch holes in ballot cards. Those ballot cards are now the subject of national dispute, because many Palm Beach County voters failed to punch them properly. Palm Beach County's besieged elections supervisor, Theresa LePore, a Democrat, has not pressed charges, claiming that she had too much on her plate. When asked on Monday by a local official whether he had the county-owned machine, he denied it at first, then admitted it but refused to return it. Eventually he handed it over to a police officer.
Authorities believe that it was taken from a voting booth.
Last weekend, Mr Slosberg was seen showing how the ballot-puncher worked to curious media people.