Primary Election Tomorrow

None by KCPW

First Statewide Vote Using Touch-Screen Machines

Voters will try their hand tomorrow in the first statewide election using touch-screen voting machines. Salt Lake County Clerk Sherrie Swensen says voters should have no problem with the change, but pollworkers are in for a challenge:

"We're concerned about the pollworkers being able to get things up and running," says Swensen. "But we've got a lot of support for them - we have a help desk with 30 people manning the phones and nearly 50 rovers that will be dispatched in case people have trouble setting up the machines."

Swensen expects a 10-percent voter turnout at best, which she says is typical for a primary in a mid-term election year. Even still, she's cautious about forecasting when results will be available for Salt Lake County races in the new digital age.

"Pollworkers have new paperwork and a challenge taking down the machines and getting them back to the office. I'm thinking the first results will be available around 9:30 p.m."

Another challenge, says Swensen, is the new optical scanning machines her office must use in tallying absentee and provisional ballots. The new equipment is much, much slower than the old punch card scanning system.

Polls close at 8 p.m. tomorrow and some locations have changed to accommodate disability access. For locations and sample ballots go online to www.clerk.slco.org or call the Salt Lake County Clerk's Office at 468-3427. For other counties, see the State Elections website at www.elections.utah.gov.

Email to a friendPosted in KCPW Newsroom. Copyright 2008 KCPW