[NFBMT] ExpressVote

Tue Aug 27 02:53:32 UTC 2019

I decided not to go tomorrow because other people wanted to go, and there
wouldn't have been room in the van.  Jim Marks will be there, though.

-----Original Message-----
From: NFBMT <nfbmt-bounces at nfbnet.org> On Behalf Of d m gina via NFBMT
Sent: Monday, August 26, 2019 8:06 PM
To: nfbmt at nfbnet.org
Cc: d m gina <dmgina at mysero.net>
Subject: Re: [NFBMT] ExpressVote

Will you be there tomorrow as well?
Glad you had the experience of the machines.
We will be at the court house here in town when it is time to vote.

Original message:
> I just came back from Helena to visit the ExpressVote machine.  As far
> as nonvisual access is concerned, it works almost exactly like the
AutoMark.
> You can wear headphones to listen to the voice prompts.  It has a
> keypad that is quite similar to the AutoMark, with arrow buttons and a
> select key in the middle.  You can increase or decrease the volume and
> increase or decrease the voice speed.  You can also pause the voice output
or turn off the screen.
> The machine costs around $3500 each.  A tabulator costs anywhere from
> $10,000 to $50,000 to $100,000, depending on how fast you want to count the
ballots.
> The ballots are a different size than the standard ballots, but if the
> polling place has a tabulator, it will not be necessary to transcribe
> the ballots onto standard ballot forms.  They plan to retire the
> AutoMARKS by the presidential election in 2020.  There is $750,000
> grant money that is being used to purchase these machines and
> tabulators and whatever else is necessary to ensure voter privacy and
> security.  The grant money will be matched so the total amount to
> spend on all this is a million and a half dollars.  Each polling place
> will have one ExpressVote machine to start with, and presumably more
> when more money becomes available or if the demand is great enough.
> By law the polling workers need to know how to use it and troubleshoot
> it and fix it if necessary, and they will direct as many nondisabled
> voters as possible to use it.  There is a model that can be placed on
> a desk and one that you can stand at, with a privacy screen.  If you
> use the screen visually, you can mess with the font size and the
> contrast.  Otherwise, it works like a touch screen.  The ballot
> displays on the screen and you can make your selections as you would
> with a touch screen.  There are two tactile pads to choose from for
> nonvisual users, one is like the AutoMARK and one has the choices
> "yes" and "no" in Braille on it.  That might be useful for someone who
> doesn't have finger or hand dexterity.  There is also a sip and puff
> feature.  These machines weigh about twenty pounds, and everything
> fits into a bag that can be carried around.  The AutoMARK machines are ore
mechanical and therefore more subject to breaking down; these are more
software driven and will have periodic software updates.

> They had two hours of demonstration time today, and they will have one
> hour tomorrow between 8:00 and 9:00 A.M.  Then they will have the
> certification ceremony.  Then they will take public comments
> afterwards from those who are there.

> I tried unsuccessfully to mess it up.

> If anyone has any questions, please contact me or Stuart Fuller,
> Elections and Voter Services Manager, Secretary of State's Office, by
> email at Stuart.Fuller at mt.gov <mailto:Stuart.Fuller at mt.gov> , or by
> phone at 406-444-4282, or by sending an email to soselections at mt.gov.

> Joy Breslauer, First Vice President

> National Federation of the Blind of Montana

> Web Site: http://www.nfbofmt.org <http://www.nfbofmt.org/>

> Live the life you want

> The National Federation of the Blind is a community of members and
> friends who believe in the hopes and dreams of the nation's blind.
> Every day we work together to help blind people live the lives they want.

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--
--Dar
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every saint has a past
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