Voting methods and equipment by state

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The types of voting equipment used in the United States vary significantly from state to state. Some jurisdictions use electronic devices to record votes. Others use traditional paper ballots, and others still use neither and vote by mail. Some groups, such as the Brennan Center for Justice, are concerned that some of the devices in use were not meant to be used for a long time without replacement and that outdated machines threaten the integrity of the election process.[1][2]

Types of voting equipment

The following types of voting equipment are in use in the United States as of September 2016:[1]

  • Optical Scan Paper Ballot Systems: Voters mark their votes by filling in an oval, box, or similar shape on a paper ballot. Later, the paper ballots are scanned either at the polling place or at a central location.[1]
  • Direct Recording Electronic (DRE) Systems: DRE systems employ computers that record votes directly into the computers' memory. These interfaces may incorporate touchscreens, dials, or mechanical buttons. The voter's choices are stored by the computer on a cartridge or hard drive. Some DRE systems are also equipped with a printer, which the voter may use to confirm his or her choices before committing them to the computer's memory. The paper records can be preserved to be tabulated in case of an audit or recount.[1]
  • Ballot Marking Devices and Systems: These systems are designed to help disabled voters who might be unable to vote using other methods. Most devices utilize a touchscreen along with audio or other accessibility features. Rather than recording the vote into the computer's memory, the ballot is instead marked on paper and later tabulated manually.
  • Punch Card Voting Systems: These devices employ a paper card and a small clipboard device. A voter punches holes in the card to mark his or her vote. The pattern of holes in the card indicates the votes cast. The ballot may then be placed in a box to be tabulated manually or scanned by a computer later.

Additionally, some jurisdictions use paper ballots that are manually counted at the polling place. Other jurisdictions use these paper ballots for absentee or provisional voting.[1]

Since 2010, no election in the United States has used a mechanical lever voting machine.[1]

Voting methods by state

The map and table below show what voting equipment was used in each state as of September 2016. Please note that the equipment listed below applies to the voter's experience. For example, in New York state, a voter submits a paper ballot, which in turn is tallied using electronic equipment. For the purposes of the map and table below, such states are considered "paper ballot" states. To expand the table, click "[show]".[3]

Issues

Critics contend that the voting machines in use today are too old and may threaten the integrity of the voting process. According to an October 2015 study by the Brennan Center for Justice, 43 states were expected to use voting equipment that would be over 10 years old in the 2016 election cycle. The report claimed that replacement parts are difficult to find for these machines because of their age, and that while elections officials in 31 states stated a desire to purchase new machines, 22 of them also said they "did not know where they would get the money to pay for them." According to election watchdog groups, these outdated machines and the inability to replace or fix them make it harder for election officials to administer elections.[2]

In April 2014, the Virginia Board of Elections voted to decertify voting machines used in over 30 counties and cities in the state due to security concerns. Edgardo Cortés, commissioner of the state elections department, said using the machines “creates an unacceptable risk to the integrity of the election process in the commonwealth.”[4]

Recent news

The link below is to the most recent stories in a Google news search for the terms voting machine. These results are automatically generated from Google. Ballotpedia does not curate or endorse these articles; they are included to provide readers with the most recent news articles on the subject. Click here to learn more about this section.

Voting methods and equipment by state - Google News Feed

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See also

External links

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Footnotes

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 Verified Voting, "Voting Equipment in the United States," accessed October 6, 2015
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 Brennan Center for Justice, "America's Voting Machines at Risk," accessed October 8, 2015
  3. ↑ Verified Voting, "The Verifier - Polling Place Equipment - Current," accessed October 7, 2015
  4. ↑ The Washington Post, "Va. Board of Elections votes to decertify some voting machines," April 2014

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This article is curated by the Public Policy Desk:
 Jerrick Adams • Sarah Groat • Taylor Kempema • Adam Vaughn
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