Elections within Yazoo County will take another step into the future with upcoming electronic poll books.
The Yazoo County Board of Supervisors recently approved the purchase of about $80,000 worth of equipment to transition local elections from using printed poll books to electronic iPads. However, Circuit Clerk Robert Coleman added that the county would be reimbursed for the hefty purchase thanks to HAVA Election Security and other election funds.
“We should have more than enough to cover this improvement to Yazoo County elections,” Coleman said.
Although the printed poll books will be used along with the iPads for the first election process, the printed poll books will eventually be eliminated.
“Elections are always changing and moving forward,” Coleman said. “We try to make things easier and better for our county for the voters to be able to participate in the process. With that, we are planning to order some electronic poll books.”
Coleman said the electronic poll books will prove to be a simpler process where voters will not sign in manually.
“Everything is done on the iPad,” Coleman said.
Coleman provided two quotes to county leaders with the first quote covering the purchase of the equipment, which was about $80,000 for about 40 electronic poll books. The second quote covered yearly upgraded maintenance. Most of the 22 precincts will receive about two poll books. However, smaller precincts may only use one.
“We have a total of $81,564 in HAVA funds,” Coleman said. “The county purchases the equipment. After we purchase the equipment, I submit the application on how much everything was, and they would reimburse the county with the money we have allocated for the county. The county would be responsible upfront, but you would get it back on the backend.”
Coleman said the upgrade would also eliminate the cost of printing the poll books, which range to about 4,000 copies of paper.
“We also have election funds submitted to us,” Coleman added. “Yazoo has already received $38,068. That is money for elections that have already been submitted to us. That will also offset anything extra from the (HAVA funds).”
Coleman said the electronic system will assist with accurate tabulation.
“For the first time around, we will use the print book because this is something new,” Coleman said. “But moving forward, we will make that obsolete.”
