New Montco voting system video demonstration

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Montco voted to go ahead and upgrade its machines this year after a federal court agreement to update voting machines by 2020 was put into place. (MONTCO.Today file photo)

Montgomery County has scheduled a series of demonstrations of the county’s new voter-marked paper ballot system with a verifiable paper trail that will be in place for the May 2019 primary election. In addition to two stand-alone events, the Commissioners will combine their four annual “Conversations with the Commissioners” town hall events across the county with voting system demonstrations, according to a press release from the county.

The main voting demonstration, which does not include a town hall, is scheduled for this Saturday, April 6 from 9 a.m. to noon at Ambler Borough Hall, 131 Rosemary Avenue, Ambler, PA 19002.

For those who can not make it out to a demonstration, below is a ‘how-to’ video.

https://youtu.be/QC2mHrXbvSs

 

Montgomery County Voter Services will set up five simulated polling locations for voters to experience the new system first-hand. Limited parking will be available in the municipal lots adjacent to Ambler Borough Hall and all Saturday parking fees will be waived for this event. There is also street parking available throughout Ambler and a SEPTA parking lot at 30 South Main Street in Ambler that charges a $1 daily fee.

Another voting demonstration without a town hall will be held on Saturday, April 13 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Montgomery County-Norristown Public Library, Swede Street Entrance Lobby, 1001 Powell Street, Norristown, PA 19401. There will be limited parking in the library’s parking lot. There is also street parking throughout Norristown.

There will also be demonstrations at four “Conversations with the Commissioners” town halls. The town halls will start at 7 p.m., but residents will have the opportunity to try out the new voting system starting at 6 p.m. The combined town halls and voter demonstrations will be held in King of Prussia, Pottstown, Pennsburg and Glenside.

The new system will replace the electronic push-button voting machines the County purchased in 1996 which were nearing the end of their useful life. The old machines also did not meet the state mandate for counties to have a voting system with a verifiable paper trail in place for the 2020 Presidential election.

With the new system, most voters will use a pen to fill out a ballot and have an opportunity to check it for accuracy before submitting it to scanner that tabulate the votes and keep the ballot in a secure container for audits or recounts.

Each polling place will also have an ADA touchscreen machine that can be used to select candidates. When the voter is done filling out the ballot, they can review their selections and print out a paper ballot that will be submitted to scanner for tabulation the same as the ballots filled out by hand.

2019 Voting System Demonstrations & Conversations with the Commissioners Schedule:

Voting Demonstration Only

Ambler Borough Hall

Saturday, April 6 from 9 a.m. to noon

131 Rosemary Avenue

Ambler, PA 19002

Voting Demonstration & Conversations with the Commissioners

Tuesday, April 9 at 6 p.m. voting demo & 7 p.m. town hall

Upper Merion Township Building

175 W. Valley Forge Road

King of Prussia, PA 19406

Voting Demonstration Only

Saturday, April 13 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Montgomery County-Norristown Public Library

Swede Street Entrance Lobby

1001 Powell St., Norristown, PA 19401

Voting Demonstration & Conversations with the Commissioners

Tuesday, April 23 at 6 p.m. voting demo & 7 p.m. town hall

Montgomery County Community College

West Campus

South Hall Community Room

101 College Drive

Pottstown, PA 19464

Voting Demonstration & Conversations with the Commissioners

Wednesday, May 1 at 6 p.m. voting demo & 7 p.m. town hall

Upper Perkiomen Education Center

Multipurpose Room

2229 East Buck Road

Pennsburg, PA 18073

Voting Demonstration & Conversations with the Commissioners

Monday, May 6 at 6 p.m. voting demo & 7 p.m. town hall

Arcadia University

Great Room

450 S. Easton Road

Glenside, PA 19038

 

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