A potential new election machine was presented to the Freestone County Commissioner’s Court and others, including several Freestone County poll workers, during their Wednesday, December 2, 2020 meeting.
The new system, which is currently three years old, allows for a paper ballot that either you mark yourself, or you can have a machine mark it for you.
This system would allow people to sign in, and then be handed a paper ballot. Next they would go to a system that allows them to mark the ballot using a computer system.
After that they would go to another machine to deposit their ballot.
At this time, if there is a problem with the ballot, such as the machine unable to read it properly, it will reject the ballot and allow the voter to start over if they desire.
In this case, ballots that are turned in would be a ‘spoiled ballot’ which every one of the spoiled ballots is accounted for.
The poll workers asked questions ranging from whether it would change the speed people vote (it should not), to maintenance and warranty (the company provides support and maintenance for the machine lifetime).
This was a presentation, only. The Commissioner’s Court took no action this meeting.
County Commissioner Pct. 4 Clyde Ridge, Jr. told the poll workers, before they left, “Without ya’ll’s input we go by what we think, but I am so grateful that ya’ll are here today and the good job that ya’ll did in this election. I am just so thankful and I just think each and everyone one of you.”
A few other items discussed were:
— Bill Madding informed the Court that he is retiring as of Sunday, January 31, 2021.
–The County is still considering joining in with a partnership with the Lion’s Club to purchase a Spot Vision Screener.
