The Associated Press 5/3/01 2:03 AM

MONTGOMERY, Ala. (AP) -- Technicians are trying to solve problems that have crept into the computer system that Alabama lawmakers plan to use to redraw legislative districts next month, a spokeswoman said.

The computers ran into memory problems and are taking longer than they should to download redistricting plans, Bonnie Shanholtzer, supervisor of the Legislative Reapportionment Office, told The Anniston Star.

The office closed late last week to allow computer technicians to work on the problems, she said.

The technicians have decided to replace a hard drive, which will take another day or two, but bugs in the redistricting software will be more difficult to solve, she said.

She said she doesn't think the problems have held up legislators in developing plans, but they have created anxiety.

"It's not the best timing," she said.

http://www.al.com/newsflash/index.ssf?/cgi-free/getstory_ssf.cgi?j3234_BC_AL--Redistricting-Com&&news&al_headlines

-- Doris (nocents@bellsouth.net), May 03, 2001