Voting Equipment and Election Supplies

 

During an election, a variety of electronic equipment is used to aid in the voting process. These items range from ballot marking devices to voter-verifiable paper audit trails. The Division of Elections places orders for these items based on municipal requests. Each municipality should ensure that it receives sufficient supplies for the months ahead.

 

Some jurisdictions have hybrid voting systems that require voters to cast their ballots on a separate optical scanner. These election booths systems offer a number of advantages, including the ability to provide ballots in more than one language. Despite these benefits, however, some voters may not take the time to verify their vote.

 

Other technology products and services include the Multilingual Virtual Pollworker powered by LanguageLine(tm), which enables voters to select their preferred languages and see their results in that language. Some vendors also offer ballot-on-demand printers, which can print ballots as needed. These types of printers are designed to avoid overprinting and overcharging.

 

The Voting Machine Warehouse is a central location where voting equipment and supplies are stocked and inventoried. The warehouse also handles the post-election Review Board process. A roving technician delivers supplemental materials to precincts and troubleshoots problems.

 

The Certificate of Registration Form is a two-part form that contains the voter's name and information about precincts. These forms are often encoded in barcodes, allowing voters to quickly scan them and view their choices. In addition, white voter registration cards are provided prior to each election.

 

The Center for Elections Research offers a research service to state and local elections officials. It has a database of ballot machines in every U.S. election jurisdiction and provides demonstration videos and other information on voting equipment.

 

Some vendors offer support options for their equipment, including leasing options. Depending on the needs of a jurisdiction, these options may include onsite technical assistance and training. In some cases, a vendor will retrofit its equipment with a voter-verifiable paper audit trail (VVPAT). This type of paper trail allows voters to verify their vote during recounts or post-election audits.

 

The election supplies Department is responsible for the programming and maintenance of voting equipment. It is also responsible for delivering and storing precinct supplies. This department is located at 403 East 24th Street in Chester. The department is also responsible for restocking voting equipment before an election.

 

The ACE Electoral Knowledge Network is a consortium of electoral organizations. It has an online database of information about all of the major products and services involved in the electoral process. In addition, members can visit election product suppliers at national conferences.

 

The Verified Voting database is a comprehensive listing of voting equipment and supplies in every U.S. election jurisdiction. It includes an overview of each system, a demonstration video, and manufacturer information. The database also includes voting instructions. The Verified Voting website is a valuable resource for voting administrators. The best part is that it is free to join. The site is designed to encourage continuous improvement in the election administration process.  Here is an alternative post that provides more information related to this topic: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Voting_machine.