CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- Kanawha County election officials called in a repair technician after a vote counting machine malfunctioned during a routine test on Tuesday.

Election officials are required by state law to test their voting equipment a week before an election. During Tuesday's election test, one of the county's two vote-tabulating machines malfunctioned, said County Clerk Vera McCormick.

McCormick said the machine is kept as a spare in case the main machine breaks down during counting. Even so, county officials decided to call in a repair technician to fix the machine.

"It's one we'll probably never use, but imagine ... if something would happen during the election," McCormick said. "I told them I needed them in here soon [to fix the machine]."

The technician is expected to arrive on Wednesday. County officials suspended the election test until the machine is repaired.

Meanwhile, traffic remains heavy in the Voter Registration Office as county residents come in to cast early ballots. More than 6,300 people had cast early votes by Tuesday morning, approaching the county's off-year election record of 6,600 early voters set in 2006.

"We're going to pass that," McCormick said. "They're really coming in."

County officials expect more than 10,000 people to cast early ballots by the time early voting ends on Saturday.

Reach Rusty Marks at rustyma...@wvgazette.com or 304-348-1215.