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Both major political parties have given the Electronic Voting Identification System (EVIS) used in Monday's Portland Western by-election a failing grade.
The equipment was tested in West Portland last weekend and was given the thumbs up by the Electoral Office of Jamaica (EOJ).
However, the machines failed to impress senior officials of the Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) and the People's National Party's (PNP) and were blamed for lengthy delays at some polling stations.
There were several complaints from electors that they had to wait for extended periods before casting their ballots due to the computerised system.
PNP General Secretary Peter Bunting, says the system needs further assessment and training for operators of the machines.
"I am not sure if you had to be using the regular Presiding Officers who really just come on at the time of an election, whether they'd be sufficiently familiar with the electronic voting machines to have it go as smoothly. I would imagine that there had to be a great deal of training as well as a great deal of investment in additional computer machinery to allow this," said Mr. Bunting.
More sensitive EVIS machines needed - Montague
Meanwhile, the JLP's Campaign Coordinator Bobby Montague was also not impressed with the operations of the new system.
"EOJ staff wasn't very familiar with the operations and it slowed the process down. I think the concept is very good but we need faster machines ... machines that are more sensitive especially in rural areas where some persons by working on the farms, the ridges on the fingers would go down and you had difficulty in generating the ballot" said Mr. Montague.
EVIS worked well, but will still to be reviewed - Fisher
However Director of Elections Orrette Fisher has defended the effectiveness of the electronic system.
Mr. Fisher is insisting that there were no major problems with the EVIS equipment during Monday's voting activities but says the EOJ will be review the system.
"It's my view that the system worked as expected but we had a lot of person coming out early and therefore the lines were very long ... that happens even when we use the manual system.
"It's a tradition in Jamaica where people come out early when the polls open and by afternoon, it gets slower and then you have fewer persons moving through ... I think this time was no different," said Mr. Fisher.
The equipment was tested in West Portland last weekend and was given the thumbs up by the Electoral Office of Jamaica (EOJ).
However, the machines failed to impress senior officials of the Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) and the People's National Party's (PNP) and were blamed for lengthy delays at some polling stations.
There were several complaints from electors that they had to wait for extended periods before casting their ballots due to the computerised system.
PNP General Secretary Peter Bunting, says the system needs further assessment and training for operators of the machines.
"I am not sure if you had to be using the regular Presiding Officers who really just come on at the time of an election, whether they'd be sufficiently familiar with the electronic voting machines to have it go as smoothly. I would imagine that there had to be a great deal of training as well as a great deal of investment in additional computer machinery to allow this," said Mr. Bunting.
More sensitive EVIS machines needed - Montague
Meanwhile, the JLP's Campaign Coordinator Bobby Montague was also not impressed with the operations of the new system.
"EOJ staff wasn't very familiar with the operations and it slowed the process down. I think the concept is very good but we need faster machines ... machines that are more sensitive especially in rural areas where some persons by working on the farms, the ridges on the fingers would go down and you had difficulty in generating the ballot" said Mr. Montague.
EVIS worked well, but will still to be reviewed - Fisher
However Director of Elections Orrette Fisher has defended the effectiveness of the electronic system.
Mr. Fisher is insisting that there were no major problems with the EVIS equipment during Monday's voting activities but says the EOJ will be review the system.
"It's my view that the system worked as expected but we had a lot of person coming out early and therefore the lines were very long ... that happens even when we use the manual system.
"It's a tradition in Jamaica where people come out early when the polls open and by afternoon, it gets slower and then you have fewer persons moving through ... I think this time was no different," said Mr. Fisher.