Stephens County showcases new election equipment

With election season here, Stephens County Election Administrator, Christie Latham provided an introduction of new safe, and secure voting equipment. The new equipment comes after a failed security assessment required a modernization of election equipment.

During the Monday, June 22, Stephens County Commissioners meeting, commissioners approved the purchase quote submitted for the election systems and software. The approval modernizes the county’s election security for the upcoming election.

“The grants that were provided by the federal government allowed us to purchase this equipment,” Christie Latham, Stephens County Election Administrator said. “It is all in the name of security for this election.”

The new software includes a DS200 precinct scanner and an expressvote ballot marking device. The county received the opportunity to take advantage of the “Help Make America Vote” grant and the various election security grants that are provided by the state and federal government. The grants were only available until the end of this year.

The grants accounted for 80% of the total amount for the update, and Stephens County paid 20% or approximately $14,000 to update election security. The cost also included training officials for proper use of the new system.

The updated machines will work in conjunction with the Americans with Disabilities Act and will assist those with disabilities vote in the upcoming election.

“I’m expecting a large turnout, and the county will have some onsight help for the upcoming election,” Latham said. “With the purchase of this machine comes help for the election with the equipment.”

Citizens will have an opportunity to use a touchscreen monitor to cast their votes for the election. After choosing candidates, citizens will have a moment to review choices before printing their ballot.

Once printed, citizens will head to the DS200 precinct scanner to have their vote tallied into the counties count. The new equipment will replace paper ballots, and remove the possibility of hanging chads, overvoting, and other voting issues. Citizen’s votes will be digitized to prevent any form of voter fraud and election hacking.

“The equipment is a little intimidating, Latham said. But it will give citizens the ease of voting securely.”

The county will have other options than just voting in person. Citizens can bring their ballot to the Stephens County courthouse or can be provided curbside voting.

“Citizens will have other options other than voting in person, Latham said. “We’ll have to see their government-issued photo identification and we verify that. They’ll have to sign an affidavit, and I’ll take the ballot and put it in a holding box until it’s time to count votes. We’ll do curbside voting also. I’ll take an affidavit to the individual’s car for them to sign, and that will go into the holding box also.”

The last day to receive an application (not postmarked) for a Ballot By Mail is Friday, October 23, at 4 p.m.

There are significant changes to the Ballot By Mail procedures for this upcoming election. For this election, a voter will be allowed to return their ballot in person to the ºEarly Voting Clerk, the Tax Assessor’s office.

The voter must personally return the ballot, as ballots may not be delivered by another person. The voter must show a government-issued photo identification and must sign an affidavit upon returning the ballot by mail.

Early voting will go through Friday, October 16 for the first week of voting. The second week’s dates for early voting will be Monday, October 19 through Friday, October 23.

The final week of early voting will be from Monday, October 26 through Friday, October 30.

Each week of early voting will begin at 8 a.m. until 5 p.m. each day. Since this year’s election is a joint election with the City of Breckenridge and Stephens County, officials are required to allow two 12 hour days of voting. Those days will be:

Wednesday, October 28 from 7 a.m. until 7 p.m

Thursday, October 29 from 7 a.m. until 7 p.m.

Citizens can vote in person until the general election on Tuesday, November 3.