Burnet County demos paper ballot devices

• Burnet County Elections Department hosted a new voting machine demonstration from a vendor at the Agri-Life Building recently. This system will produce a paper ballot that could be used for a recount if desired. The two citizens testing the system are, from left, Londa Chandler and Darlene Hargett. Contributed/Judge James Oakley

Recently, the Burnet County Elections Administration Office demonstrated one fixture of new voting technology produced by a reputable firm, which could serve as a new method of marking, collecting and storing ballots during future elections.

More than 20 attended the demonstration June 20 in Burnet at the Texas AgriLife Extension.

“The demonstration went very well,” Deputy Voter Registrant Stephanie Ellis told The Highlander .

Currently, most Burnet County citizens are accustomed to recording their votes within the confines of an enclosed voting booth equipped with an electronic rotary wheel and a computer touchpad that tabulates and compiles candidate choices.

However, an innovative machine manufactured by Hart InterCivic can provide voters with a paper ballot upon which voters can note their preferred candidates with a black or blue pen. After the paper ballot is marked and completed, voters feed the ballot into an electronic scanner, and the ballot is placed into a sealed box.

Pending more study of the paper ballot system, it could be operational in Burnet County after November 2024, election officials said.