Dallas County gets first voting equipment upgrade since 1998
DALLAS - Early voting is underway for the November constitutional amendment election and a special election for a Texas House of Representatives seat.
Voters in Dallas and Tarrant counties are now able to vote at any polling location. Several other counties already have that rule in place.
And those going to the polls in Dallas and some other counties will see new election technology.
Dallas County Elections Administrator Toni Pippins-Poole demonstrated the new equipment on Good Day FOX 4.
“It’s very simple and we are just excited about this new voting equipment. We haven’t had new equipment since 1998,” she said.
The voting machines are the same as those used by several nearby counties including Tarrant County. They have a touch-screen monitor and will print a voter’s selections on a piece of paper.
“After that, you will have a printed ballot. It comes out with all your selections. You make that review and if you are fine with that ballot then you go to our tabulation machine,” Pippins-Poole said.
The tabulation machine electronically calculates the votes. It also secures the paper ballots just in case they need to be counted manually.
Dallas County is introducing the new technology now to get people used to using the machines before the 2020 Presidential Election.
“It’s going to be a larger turnout. More people are coming out. And we want them to be familiar with what they’re gonna see on election day and early voting,” Pippins-Poole said.
For anyone who still needs help, she said election workers will be available to assist voters and there will be posters at the polling locations with step-by-step instructions.
Early voting ends Friday. The statewide election day is Nov. 5.