If the card reader can't complete a 
  calibration on the leading edge of the ballot, then the reader sends 0's on 
  it's SCANDATA signal to the AccuVote.  The AccuVote gets no timing marks 
  and sees this ballot as a blank paper.     
  
Yep. 
  Uncalibrated scans can 
  happen for a few reasons.  The leading edge being fed can be dirty 
  or smudged, the ballot may be printed on colored paper stock that is out 
  of spec, a corner may be torn out of the ballot, etc.   
  
Don't forget 
interference due to cosmic rays.   
  
Whether the ballots 
have bad Karma or not is probably not worth debating.  They read fine the 
second time. 
  
Ken 
  
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