City of Charlottesville, Va., Voters Successfully Test Drive Hart InterCivic's eSlate Electronic Voting System.

Business Editors & Government/High-Tech Writers

AUSTIN, Texas--(BUSINESS WIRE)--May 28, 2002

Voters Respond Favorably to eSlate

Following the May 7 General Election

Hart InterCivic's eSlate(tm) Electronic Voting System more than met expectations during the City of Charlottesville's May 7 General Election.

"I'll tell you the election officials loved it," said Voter Registrar, Sheri Iachetta.

Twenty-two percent of the city's 19,880 registered voters turned out on May 7 to cast their ballots using the eSlate. Most voters took the opportunity to share their opinion of the electronic voting system through an exit survey.

"A large majority of our voters found the eSlate easy or extremely easy to use," said Iachetta. "Even though we knew some voters would have reservations about the change, we are now confident our voters will adjust to an electronic voting system when we take that step in the near future. Our old punch card system is no longer reliable and the doubts raised by the 2000 Presidential Election helped us realize it's time to upgrade."

Iachetta announced the winners of the General Election at 8:15 p.m. on Tuesday, May 7. "That," she said, "was after the City Electoral Board double-checked the machines' results. We were out of the office before 9 o'clock, and that's unheard of."

Commenting on the experience of working with Hart InterCivic, Cheri Lewis, chair of the Electoral Board, said, "We were overwhelmed by their comprehensive and thorough training of our election officers two weeks before the election. They made all of us feel knowledgeable about their equipment. Leading up to the election, their support in setting up the ballot, familiarizing all of us with the election software, and attending to details down to visiting each precinct to help with setup was more than we could have expected."

Continuing, Lewis said, "On the day of the election, their support included a Hart person in every precinct. We are told if we choose to purchase this equipment, that Hart will offer even more training and support. We are left wondering, what more could they do for us?!"

State election officials and election officials from several surrounding local jurisdictions visited polling sites throughout Charlottesville to watch as voters tried the system for the first time and to visit with them about the experience. The eSlate's use in the City of Charlottesville's General Election is the final step for certification of the system by the State of Virginia.

City of Alexandria Committee on People With Disabilities Chair Barbara Gilley was especially interested in the eSlate's accessibility features. Following an opportunity to use the system, Gilley said, "It's really great to know Hart InterCivic is offering a system that is accessible to such a wide range of people with various disabilities. We've been waiting a long time for this, especially the blind who will be able to vote their ballot in secret for the first time," continued Gilley.

The eSlate System is a fully integrated electronic voting system designed to provide accuracy, accessibility, durability and security. eSlate's Precision Ballot Navigation System(tm) ensures the most accurate recording of a voter's intent, avoiding many of the problems encountered by older-generation voting systems that use touch screens.

About Hart InterCivic (www.hartintercivic.com)

From electronic voting to the most effective technologies for automating local government processes, Hart InterCivic's name stands for exceptional expertise, absolute accessibility and trusted transactions. Hart InterCivic is a leader in providing products and services that help redefine the relationship between state and local governments and the citizens they serve. Hart InterCivic, with six offices in the United States, including company headquarters in Austin, Texas, is working nationwide to bring governments closer to citizens through complete electronic government (e-government) solutions and election management solutions. More information about Hart InterCivic and the eSlate System is available from the company's Web site at www.hartintercivic.com.

eSlate and Precision Ballot Navigation System are trademarks of Hart InterCivic Inc.