Computerized Voting Doesn't Mean Faster Returns

None by KCPW

Long Lines at Polls Could Delay Results

(KCPW News) New computerized voting machines in use statewide don't necessarily mean election results will come in more quickly.

"The machines do have the potential to give the results to us faster because they have modems in them and the results could be phoned in," says State elections official Michael Cragun. "But we're not using that feature here in Utah."

Instead, pollworkers must still bring the computer memory card to the county clerk's office just as they did the old ballot boxes. If there are still long lines at polling places by eight tonight, that delay will impact the timing of results released to the public.

Otherwise, Cragun says it shouldn't take any longer to learn race winners than previously. In fact, because 75-thousand people cast early and absentee votes, a significant chunk of results will be available shortly after 8 p.m.

Cragun suggests monitoring County Clerk websites for the most up-to-date results. After a short lag, those results will also be available on the state elections site at www.elections.utah.gov.

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