The following is a statement from Pam Smith, president and CEO of Verified Voting. For more information, please contact aurora@newheightscommunications.com.
PHILADELPHIA (August 3, 2022) — With the 2022 primaries underway and just over three months until the general election, Verified Voting identified a number of technology takeaways from this election cycle and pinpointed actionable items that, if taken, would bolster the voting experience before November:
- Offer emergency paper ballots to voters when voting technology fails to ensure that eligible voters are not turned away at the polls, and reserve provisional ballots only for unique voting circumstances when they are required
- Have poll workers inform voters that if ballot scanners are not properly working at a polling location, they have the right to complete a paper ballot that is stored in an auxiliary bin or other county-approved container – and instruct poll workers to assure voters their ballots will be counted
- Supply paper copies of voter registration lists at in-person polling locations to avoid long lines if electronic poll books fail when voters are checking in
- Provide adequate poll worker training to ensure that all voting equipment – including accessible equipment – is available and functioning and any equipment failures are promptly repaired
- Have poll workers explicitly instruct voters to carefully verify their printed selections before casting their ballots, especially if they are using a machine to mark their ballots
- Conduct rigorous pre- and post-election testing, as well as post-election audits as outlined in state law
All voters also have a role to play by checking their ballots before casting them and reducing the spread of disinformation by looking directly to their local elections offices for trusted information.
“We have confidence that election officials have their plans for November, but many of these recommendations are useful during poll worker trainings. From an election protection standpoint, these are steps that can make a difference when emphasized to front-line workers who help run our elections,” said Pam Smith, president and CEO of Verified Voting.
###