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Court adopts resolution backing countywide vote centers and electronic poll books after public support
Summary
Potter County approved a resolution opposing state bills that would eliminate countywide polling places and electronic poll books after election officials and a string of public commenters urged retaining vote centers for convenience and accessibility; the resolution passed unanimously.
Potter County Commissioners voted unanimously to adopt a resolution opposing elimination of the countywide polling-place program and the electronic poll books used at vote centers.
Christy, the county election official, told the court that several bills filed in the Legislature would end the countywide polling-place program and electronic poll books and said the county has used vote centers since November 2015. "We have conducted about 30 elections since being in the program," she said, and argued that vote centers reduce complaints and improve voter convenience, especially for voters who do not know their precincts.
More than a half-dozen residents and local civic groups urged the court to retain vote centers. Longtime election judge Ray Humphrey said vote centers reduced long lines and confusion: "With the vote centers, we don't have that problem anymore," he said. Jackie Payne and Dolores Thompson, local residents and election workers, and representatives from the League of Women Voters and local academics also supported the program, citing convenience, accessibility for people with disabilities and improved auditability of results.
After public comment, Commissioner 7 moved to approve the resolution opposing elimination of the countywide program and electronic poll books; the court approved the resolution by a 5-0 vote.
