Officials set precincts for trial use of e-poll books for election check-in on Nov. 7
Lebanon County election officials have set the precincts for the dual trial using electronic poll books to check in voters for the Nov. 7 election.
Both Election Systems and Software, known as ES&S, and KNOWiNK will be providing a select number of their e-poll book systems for select trial runs in Lebanon County. The elections board approved the trial at its Sept. 8 meeting.
The electronic poll book systems would have voters sign in on tablet computers before casting votes at their polling places.
"The voter experience is still going to be very similar," Sean Drasher, Lebanon County’s Bureau of Registration and Elections director, said. "There's still somebody sitting there, but they'll have a tablet instead of paper."
E-poll books are loaded with registered voters' names, addresses and birth dates. When a voter arrives, a poll worker would be able to review that information and have the voter sign similar to having a physical poll book. E-poll books have nothing to do with casting a ballot or tabulating votes.
ES&S will providing e-poll books at the following polling places: Lebanon 1st Ward East at the Washington Arms Apartment Building, Lebanon 2nd Ward East at LCBC Church, Myerstown North at the Myerstown Community Library, North Annville at the Bellegrove Fire Company Social Hall, North Londonderry East at Londonderry Village, and South Lebanon South at the Zion United Methodist Church of Iona.
KNOWiNK will providing e-poll books at the following polling places: Lebanon 1st Ward Middle at Lebanon Church of the Brethren, Lebanon 2nd Ward West Messiah Lutheran Church, Myerstown South at the Keystone Fire Company, North Cornwall West at Faith Baptist Church, North Lebanon Middle at the North Lebanon Township building, South Lebanon North at the Lebanon Masonic Temple, and West Lebanon at the West Lebanon Township Building.
Both trials will be at no cost to the county, with vendors agreeing to front all the equipment, training and service costs.
Officials are expecting about 30,000 registered voters turning out for the Nov. 7 elections. The goal for election officials was to do a trial before the 2024 presidential election, when officials are expecting 90,000 registered voters to turn out.
ES&S and KNOWiNK demonstrated their systems to officials and residents during a Lebanon County Commissioner workshop meeting July 26. The books would allow poll workers to quickly identify a voter's status. Messages would display for issues that include if someone had already received a mail-in ballot, if a voter needs to verify their identification, or if they are in the wrong polling place.
If a voter is in the wrong polling place, the electronic book would provide the poll worker with the correct polling place and address to direct the voter. Instructions for other voting day issues would also be provided for the poll worker.
Venders from both ES&S and KNOWiNK said that their electronic poll books are password protected and with encryption software. Both vendors added that if a book was removed from a location, the companies would be able to locate the tablet remotely.
E-poll books do not contain any information that is not public information, according to election officials. The tablets do not contain Social Security or driver's license numbers.
Several counties over the last few years have either started using or began trial runs with e-poll books, including Dauphin, Lancaster, Berks, York and Philadelphia.
Trial Approved: Officials approve trial use of e-poll books for fall election check-in at some precincts
E-Polling Books: Officials are considering using E-polling books for elections. What residents should know.
Nov. 7 Election Info
Mail-ballots are on schedule to be released in the first week of October, according to Drasher. The last day to apply for a mail-in ballot is Oct. 31, and the registration deadline to vote in the Nov. 7 elections is Oct. 23.
Election officials are also still looking for volunteers to be canvassers and work the polling places. While some volunteers are dropping out to work the November election, Drasher said officials are quickly replacing them.
"We are having some pretty darn solid success with getting new people, but we are still looking," he said.
Residents looking for more information or wishing to volunteer to work the Nov. 7 can visit the Lebanon County Voter Registration Office website at http://www.lebcounty.org/depts/Voter_Registration or contact them by phone at 717-228-4428.
Matthew Toth is a reporter for the Lebanon Daily News. Reach him at mtoth@ldnews.com or on X at @DAMattToth.
This article originally appeared on Lebanon Daily News: Officials set precincts for e-poll books trial in Nov. 7 election
