Marion County Clerk Steve Fox says the new voting equipment will be ready for the start of early voting next Thursday.
Fox demonstrated the equipment for the Marion County Board this week. He noted the equipment is very easy for the election judges to operate.
“If we can put these in the polling places in advance, and not have to drag them all out on Monday and seal them and you can’t get into them. They are locked and sealed. This unit is the same way, this shell closes down and it’s a kiosk around it like you would see at a driver’s facility. So that seals the form in there. This one is easy to adjust, let’s say someone comes in who is in a wheelchair, the judge just grabs ahold of a unit, click and you drop it down for someone who may even need to sit down to vote.”
The county purchased 38 paper ballot tabulators along with 55 touch screen units which will create a paper ballot to cover each precinct after 11 precincts were consolidated by the county board earlier. The total cost of the equipment was just under $439,000.
Fox says early voting will be available from next Thursday, May 19th, through June 27th, at the county clerk’s office only from eight to four Monday through Friday.
The county clerk’s office is presently accepting applications by mail or in person for vote by mail voting. Vote by mail ballots must be postmarked by June 28th.
Grace period registration and voting will be available for those who fail to register or update voter registration by the May 31st deadline. The applicant is required to register and vote the same day in the County Clerk’s Office. Grace period voting is from June 1st through June 28th.
A temporary early and grace period voting site will be held at the Centralia Township Office at 148 South Poplar in Centralia on Wednesdays June 15th and 22nd from nine to three with grace period voting available June 28th from six am to seven pm.
