Election Equipment
In accordance with the Federal
Help America Vote Act (or HAVA as it is called), we are proud to
announce that all future elections in Knox County will be conducted
on modern voting equipment. These new systems will help to assure
that more ballots are cast properly and that the elderly and
handicap citizens will have an easier time voting. New
for 2006 - The Latest in Voting Technology!
Starting with the General
Primaries in March 2006, Knox County voters will have another choice
when they go to vote. Now voters will be able to cast their
ballot on a new touch screen voting machine. This new option
will allow the voter to "see" their ballot, make their
selections for candidates, and cast their vote all in one
unit. There will no longer be a need to take a paper ballot to
vote. This unit also has the option of an audio ballot which
will allow voters to hear their choices and cast their vote without
any assistance. Voters will be able to review their selections
before they cast their ballot to assure that they are accurate.
How
the System Works
The first system is called an
Optical Scan System. The voter will now fill in an oval on a
standard size paper ballot instead of punching the ballot card with
a stylus. The ballot is then fed into a tabulating machine and
verified as valid. If there was a problem with ballot, it
would be rejected and allow the voter to correct any errors before
casting it again. The system will even be able to read ballots
that were not marked in "exactly" the right spot.
Any standard pen or pencil mark close to the oval will be registered
as a vote for that candidate. Only the voter will touch the ballot
from the time it is completed until it is counted. The
second system is called a touch screen system. It works
similar to the touch screen directories at a mall where you touch
the location you want to see. This system allows you to cast
your vote by touching a square next to the candidates name.
The system will prevent you from voting for too many candidates for
a office and allows you to go back and change a vote that you
previously selected. You also have the options of increasing
the size of print on the screen or hearing the ballot read to you
over a set of headphones. The accessibility of this system
will allow voters that had to have assistance voting before to be
able to cast their votes in private. Improvements
over Punch Card
The Optical Scan and Touch Screen
systems have many
advantages over the old punch card voting system.
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Straight-forward and easy to
understand name on the ballot instead of a punch number.
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It will be easier to see
which candidate you are voting for
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Will do away with the
flipping of multiple ballot pages while in the voting booth.
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You can view your final
decisions before casting your vote in the tabulating unit.
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Voting on regular size paper
ballot.
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Ballots are processed immediately
in the polling place and will speed up the tabulation of results
at the end of the day.
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Over votes and other problems
with ballot completion will be identified right away and the
voter will be allowed to correct the mistake.
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Voting can take place even if
the recording unit breaks down.
Assistance for the Handicapped
Voter
The Optical Scan system of voting
will be a great improvement for voters with special needs.
Ballots can be viewed without the need of a vote recorder device and
stylus. No more small holes to try and punch. No more
"hanging or dimpled chads" from the punch card
stylus. Voters will now be able to sit in a chair and vote
with just a pen and ballot. The Touch Screen units will allow
voters to cast their ballots without the need of an assistant or
aid. The audio option for the Touch Screen will allow a voter
to hear the ballot choices and cast their votes with ease and
assurance. As always, we will supply
magnifying sheets and other aids to help with voters special
needs. As monies become available from the Federal government
and other sources, more improvements will be made to make voting
easier for all those who wish to participate.
The Future of Voting is Here Now
Over the next few months, we will
be showing off the new equipment in various locations around the
County. For a list of locations where you can see the future
of voting for yourself, just click on the event
schedule link.
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