Travis County To Modernize Voting Equipment with eSlate Electronic Voting System Purchase From Austin's Hart InterCivic.Business Editors AUSTIN, Texas--(BUSINESS WIRE)--April 3, 2002 eSlate System Will be Deployed for Early Voting Early voting, is the process which voters can cast their vote on a single or series of days prior to an election. Early voting can take place remotely, such as by mail, or in person, usually in designated early voting polling stations. in Travis County for November `02 Elections Today Travis County Commissioners unanimously approved the purchase of electronic voting Electronic voting (also known as e-voting) is a term encompassing several different types of voting, embracing both electronic means of casting a vote and electronic means of counting votes. equipment from Hart InterCivic Hart InterCivic Inc. is a privately held United States company that provides elections, geospatial system integration, and print solutions to jurisdictions nationwide. While headquartered in Austin, Texas, Hart products are used by over 300 jurisdictions nationwide. of Austin. The first phase of this initiative, to fully replace Travis County's decade-old optical scan voting system An optical scan or OpScan voting system is an electronic voting system and uses an optical scanner to read paper ballots. Types of optical scan systems Marksense systems One technology used are marksense , will begin with the installation of eSlate voting machines voting machine, instrument for recording and counting votes. The voting machine itself is generally positioned in a booth, often closed off by a curtain to assure secrecy for the voter. at all Early Voting sites for the November 2002 General Election. Travis County will complete its countywide eSlate(tm) deployment of electronic voting equipment at all polling sites for the November 2003 election. "I am very excited that we will be able to provide easy-to-use election technology to the voters of Travis County beginning during the Early Voting period this November," said Dana DeBeauvoir, Travis County Clerk The term "county clerk" has been commonly applied, in several English-speaking countries, to an official of a county government. United States Most counties in the U.S. . "The eSlate is simple to use, like a calculator or other everyday appliance and requires no computer knowledge to operate. The eSlate is not an Internet-based system and does not allow the mismarks and mistakes that were prevalent in Florida during the 2000 Presidential Election," continues DeBeauvoir. The eSlate also has many features that will allow people with sight, physical, literacy and mobility challenges to vote unassisted. "What's great about the eSlate is that no matter a person's level of ability or disability, all voters will vote on the exact same voting machines. Visually impaired voters can vote independently, and for many, this will be their chance to cast the first secret ballot secret ballot n. 1. A type of voting in which each person's vote is kept secret, but the amassed votes of various groups are revealed publicly. 2. See Australian ballot. Noun 1. of their lives," said DeBeauvoir. "We are very pleased to be working with County Clerk DeBeauvoir, who has been a strong advocate for election modernization modernization Transformation of a society from a rural and agrarian condition to a secular, urban, and industrial one. It is closely linked with industrialization. As societies modernize, the individual becomes increasingly important, gradually replacing the family, well before the 2000 Presidential Election," said David Hart David Hart may refer to:
The eSlate System is a fully integrated electronic voting system, designed to provide accuracy, accessibility, durability, and security. eSlate's Precision Ballot Navigation System A GPS-based electronic system in a car or truck that provides a real time map of the vehicle's current location as well as step-by-step directions to a programmed destination. See GPS and vehicle tracking. (tm) ensures the most accurate recording of a voter's intent, avoiding many of the problems encountered by older generation voting systems Noun 1. voting system - a legal system for making democratic choices electoral system legal system - a system for interpreting and enforcing the laws that use touch screens. All eSlate components can be configured to provide access for visually impaired, mobility-impaired, or literacy-challenged voters. Accessibility features include an integrated audio ballot reader, an interface for breath control ("sip-and-puff") devices and a specially designed polling booth. The system records each vote accurately, tabulating vote totals and reporting and archiving results securely and reliably. The eSlate system operates in a secure network, with no external network access that would allow intrusion. Integrated security features prevent tampering tampering The adulteration of a thing. See Drug tampering. with ballots or results and all data is stored in three separate locations for back-up and reliability. To accompany the eSlate System, Travis County will also receive a complete range of services, including installation and testing, on-site support and help desk, extensive training, and a voter education and outreach program that will commence this summer according to according to prep. 1. As stated or indicated by; on the authority of: according to historians. 2. In keeping with: according to instructions. 3. DeBeauvoir. She said, "Travis County residents will soon be hearing about and seeing lots of information about the eSlate System so they feel comfortable with the system when they use it this November. I am anxious to start educating our voters on this exciting new way to vote." Travis County is the 5th largest county in Texas and the home of the state capital. As of the 2002 U.S. Census, the County has a population on 812,280 with 500,000 registered voters. The eSlate System is being used in other counties throughout the country including Harris and Tarrant Counties in Texas. Harris County's eSlate system is the largest electronic voting installation in the nation. About Hart InterCivic 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 U.S., including company headquarters in Austin, Texas, is working in more than a dozen states 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. |
|
||||||||||||
Printer friendly
Cite/link
Email
Feedback
Reader Opinion