Nicollet County receives new assistive voting devices

Holly Marie Moore, The Free Press, Mankato, Minn.
·1 min read

Jul. 3—NICOLLET COUNTY — Nicollet County voters will now have access to new assistive voting devices at the Aug. 9 primary election.

The 19 new machines, which replace their predecessors that were purchased back in 2006, have dozens of capabilities to make sure voting is accessible.

The system makes sure that voters don't choose more candidates per race than permitted, that the ballot is legible and in primary races, that they vote only within their selected party.

Voters can use the keypad or touch screen to add write-in candidates.

The tablets will allow voters to zoom in or out, make text larger or smaller, use headphones to listen to voting instructions and lists of candidates for each office on the ballot, adjust the speed at which the speaker is talking, use Braille to help them in making their selection and more.

The devices will be set up to ensure privacy when voting and placed on tables that allow wheelchairs to slide underneath them. According to the county, the devices are hardened tablets that do not access the Internet and do not calculate vote totals.

Even though they are ADA accessible, the devices will be available to any voter.

The machine will be available for public display during normal working hours from June 27 to Aug. 8 at the Nicollet County Government Center.