Paper poll books pinch-hitting for tablets

FINDLAY — Technology that made a voter's visit to the polls a bit quicker has been sidelined by Ohio's election chief out of concern it may violate election security standards. Instead, when Hancock County voters go to the polls for the May 6 primary election, their identity and other information will be verified by poll workers in the old-fashioned way: perusing poll books made of paper. It may take a few extra minutes for voters to get through the process, but Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose anticipates no problems for voters. "This action will have little to no impact on voters, as we anticipate turnout to be relatively low and I've always required boards of elections to have paper poll book backups ready to go as a contingency," LaRose said. LaRose ordered the affected elections boards to use paper poll books beginning last Friday. That was when he launched an investigation of a single tablet-style device purchased by a county elections board east of Columbus and used for checking in voters. Election officials found that that single, newly purchased device in that other county may violate Ohio's Election security standards. The device, often called an electronic poll book, would have been used to check voters into a polling location, but had not been used yet in an election. A similar device is used by 43 other counties in Ohio, including the Hancock County poll sites. "While this investigation is limited right now to a single device in one county, I'm taking the precautionary step of ordering my team to review all voter check-in systems" — including Hancock County's — "for compliance with our security directives ahead of the May election," LaRose said. "As an added precaution, I'm directing the boards of elections who use this specific style of poll book to use paper poll books for the May election." One thing voters can do to quicken their visit to the polls: know what your voting precinct is, the Hancock County elections board said. One can check their precinct by going online to www.hancockcountyohioelections.gov. Then, in the blue strip extending across the page, click on "Check your information;" then click on "Where do I vote." Under "Precinct Information" you will find your precinct name and location.