Taylor County commissioners unanimously oppose bills to end countywide polling places

Taylor County Commissioners Court voted unanimously March 25 to adopt Resolution 13-25 opposing proposed state bills that would eliminate the countywide polling place program and restrict use of electronic poll books and ballot-marking devices.

The resolution passed 5-0 after elections staff summarized how countywide voting works and warned of operational and fiscal impacts if the Legislature requires a return to precinct-based voting and hand-marked ballots.

Elections administrator Miss Reagan told the court the county first used countywide polling places after state pilot legislation and has since held every election under the program. “There are a few of these bills that have also proposed requirement that we no longer be able to use ballot marking devices in an election,” she said. Reagan said countywide voting lets voters cast a ballot at any polling place and relies on electronic…