Bannock County gets new voting machines
Bannock County voters will find a new way to cast their ballot Tuesday.
New ExpressVote machines will be available at each polling place.
The machine uses a touch screen which marks voter choices on a card so voters can review their choices.
“It is not a tabulator, and it is not documenting name or address of the voter,” said Julie Hancock, Bannock County Elections. “It’s not documenting the count of the vote or who that person voted for. All it’s doing is marking the ballot.”
Here’s how you do it: an elections official will hand you a blank card. You then insert the card into the machine. Once you enter your precinct number you can then select your party; from here you would vote for the candidate of your choice.
If you make a mistake, don’t worry. You can go back and change it. Once you have made your selections and completed the process, you can finalize your ballot by printing it.
“Less room for error,” said Hancock. “Always print that ballot out and you have a piece of paper in your hands. You can look at it, you can verify that it did exactly print what you voted.”
You can still vote the traditional way, but officials say there is less room for error and this new way is much faster to cast your vote.
ExpressVote ballots will be counted along with the regular paper ballots.
There are few things you need to know if you’re heading to the polls tomorrow.
If you have not registered to vote in Idaho, you will need a photo ID, i.e. a driver license, government-issued ID card or US passport. If you don’t have a photo ID, you will have to sign a personal identification affidavit. You can still register at the polls, but be sure to bring proof of residency, i.e. a current driver’s license, utility bill or a lease agreement to name a few. You will also have to declare which party you are affiliated with, either Republican or Democrat. If you don’t want to declare either party, you can still vote the non-partisan ballot.
To find where to vote, go HERE.
The polls are open between 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.
