ES&S voting systems selected as the most cost-effective, secure and easy to use for voters and election workers
Voters in Lincoln County will soon cast their ballots using a new secure paper-based voting system.
The Lincoln County Election Equipment Evaluation Team, consisting of County and Municipal Election Officials, selected to remain with Election Systems & Software (ES&S) after a comprehensive review of available systems certified by the State of Wisconsin’s Election Commission. The Evaluation Team determined that the ES&S system provides a fully auditable voting solution that is accurate, secure, and accessible to all voters. Just as importantly, the equipment is easy for both poll workers and election officials to navigate and manage.
County Clerk, Chris Marlowe, led the process to determine the best possible scenario for replacing the County’s aging AutoMark machines which served the County’s accessible voting equipment needs since 2008. “I provided the resources the Evaluation Team needed to make an educated decision on what best fits our local election needs and budgets here in Lincoln County. I left the final decision to our town officials. They unanimously decided to stick with our current vendor whom they felt provided the top product. The decision to remain with ES&S will simplify the transition for our voters and election officials.”
The new system uses a variety of functions to ensure election information and cast vote records are secure. The new system Includes:
- ExpressVote – The ExpressVote universal voting system uses touch-screen technology to produce a paper ballot, allowing voters to review their selections and verify that their vote was recorded accurately before submitting for tabulation. The fully auditable ExpressVote eliminates marginal marks and the need for interpretation of the voter’s intent. Votes can be cast using the touch screen, a detachable UVC keyboard, or with ADA support peripherals, such as a sip-and-puff device.
- DS200 – This poll-place scanner and tabulator includes physical security features to secure sensitive components and election files. The DS200 operating system controls, limits, and detects unauthorized access to all critical data and includes safeguards that help protect sensitive data and verify authenticity. The DS200s have been in service in Lincoln County since 2010. The DS200 did need an upgrade to its operating system to allow the machine to be compatible with the ExpressVote. The DS200 machine will be very familiar to our voters, but the screen itself will appear different and perhaps more modern.
The new system replaces the outdated AutoMark which used Windows 7 for its operating system. Microsoft announced last year that they would no longer be supporting the outdated Windows 7 platform. County Clerk Marlowe said: “Microsoft ultimately doomed the AutoMark’s fate, deeming its operating system obsolete. This forced the County to replace the equipment. We went in open minded, viewing this as an opportunity to do a deep dive into all the voting systems available to our voters here in Wisconsin. After reviewing the other vendors and the systems they sell, we determined we already had the best available tabulator and would not have to replace them at this time. This also made the addition of the ExpressVote the most cost-effective solution. We feel good about our decision and are looking forward to the public’s response after the April 2 Election.”
Election Systems & Software is the nation’s leading voting systems manufacturer. For more than 40 years, ES&S has been supporting elections by creating and providing secure, accurate, and accessible voting equipment to jurisdictions across the country. Learn more about ES&S and its equipment at essvote.com and on Facebook at facebook.com/essvote.