Voting machine audit shows no malfunction

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) — An audit of touch-screen voting machines at the center of a dispute in a congressional election found no evidence of malfunction, the Florida secretary of state said Friday.

The audit was conducted after more than 18,000 ballots were cast in Sarasota County without a selection in the District 13 congressional race in November between Republican Vern Buchanan and Democrat Christine Jennings. Buchanan was the certified winner by 369 votes, but Jennings sued, alleging that the machines malfunctioned.

"Governor Crist and I are committed to ensuring that every Floridian's vote is counted and I am confident that the race in Sarasota County was fair and accurate," said Secretary of State Kurt Browning in a statement about the official audit report.