With the 2006 general election less than two months away, Park County Clerk Debra Green is keeping a close eye on the State Elections Calendar. Staying on track with busy election schedules is a primary focus of the office. This year, the introduction of new electronic voting equipment and consolidation of voting centers adds even more importance to the clerk's obligations to provide detailed and timely voter information. Election information packets for voters will be mailed out the week of October 2, according to the clerk's office. Mail-in ballots, for those who have requested them, will be mailed out by October 10.

The new voting equipment was first placed in service for last August's primary election. The primary drew a "disappointing turnout," according to Green. Only 1,881 Park County voters participated in the primary to choose party candidates for District 3 Commissioner, County Treasurer, and candidates for regional races. That reflects fewer than 20% of registered Republicans and Democrats in Park County.

According to Green, there were no reports of problems with the new equipment. "We had final tallies by 7:30," Green said. "We also replaced the reams of paper voter lists with electronic poll books," she added, listing the changes that helped the process go more quickly and smoothly. In the August primary, 38% of those who voted in person chose to try the new eSlate electronic voting machine.

The change from 13 precinct polling places to six voting centers may have helped as well. Park County voters can cast a ballot in any one of the centers around the county without having to locate and visit their particular precinct poll. The clerk's office only had to review 15 provisional ballots in the August election. Provisional ballots are completed when a person is not listed as a resident and registered voter, or fails to provide photo identification. In previous elections, provisional ballots might also be used when a voter came to the wrong precinct and couldn't be found on a poll list at that location. The provisional ballots are then reviewed by the clerk's office to verify that the person casting the ballot is a legally registered voter. Only three of the August provisional ballots were discarded as invalid. "I'm very pleased with how well the election went, and I appreciate the hard work of our election judges and technicians," Green said.

The eSlate voting machines are designed for the disabled, but any voter may choose to use the electronic equipment. Unlike some other electronic voting machines, the eSlate keeps a paper record of each vote cast. When the voter is finished selecting choices electronically, a printed paper sheet scrolls in a window for review of the voter's selections. This paper record scrolls out of view when the voter completes the entry of the electronic ballot. As always, voters also have the option of filling out a paper ballot by hand, to be read by an electronic scanner.