“The main advantage to this system is it’s using current technology people are used to,” said Eric Corbin, Butler County Board of Elections deputy director. “It really does operate like your cell phone, and it really is like a large Android cellphone or iPad. So when people touch the screen, it does what they expect it to do.”
The county's elections officials gave the Journal-News a step-by-step tutorial of how to use the new voting machines, which include:
• a voter access card is issued after signing in
• each machine will show animation of how where to insert the card
• after reading the on-screen instruction, press next to see the candidates and issues to vote (press “next” to advance to subsequent pages of the ballot)
Once a voter completes his or her ballot, they’ll be prompted to print each page of the ballot, then they will be prompted to “cast” their ballot.
Then voters will remove the voter access card and return it to the poll workers.
RELATED: Butler County using new voting machines for current election: What to know
The software will not allow a voter to over-vote any contest, and it will prompt the voter if they under vote a race.
Additionally, a voter can change the font size and screen contrast to help view the ballot.
Also, at each voting location, there will be at least one voting machine with an ADA-compliant device to help disabled voters.
Election Day is Nov. 5, and voting is from 6:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. Early voting is underway.
ELECTION INFORMATION
Early voting is open now in Ohio. Here are the ways you can cast a ballot in Butler County:
In-person voting: Visit your county Board of Elections 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekdays now through Oct. 25; 8 to 7 p.m. from Oct. 28 to Nov. 1, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Nov. 2, 1 to 5 p.m. Nov. 3 and 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Nov. 4.
Absentee voting (also known as vote-by-mail): Registered voters can download the absentee ballot request form, or call or visit your local county Board of Elections, to request a vote-by-mail. Requests must be received by the elections office by noon Saturday, Nov. 2. Mailed ballots must be post-marked by Monday, Nov. 4. Absentee ballots may be hand-delivered to the board of elections office by the end of voting on Tuesday, Nov. 5.
Board of elections: Butler County Board of Elections is at 1802 Princeton Road, Suite 600, Hamilton and can be reached at 513-887-3700.
Learn about the candidates and issues: Check out the Journal-News/Cox Media Group Ohio voter guide at Journal-News.com/voterguide.
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