County Plans Changes For Election

Never again.

That’s what Kootenai County officials said in November 1994 after a record-setting election that included voting delays, polling site mix-ups and final election results that weren’t available until 2:30 a.m.

This year, officials will institute a handful of changes - costing about $80,000 - which they say should ensure the 1996 election runs more smoothly.

The county will increase the number of polling places, switch to paper ballots and give computer users access to voting returns moments after they’ve been tallied.

“We’ve had continual problems with overcrowding and confusion at the polls in previous years,” said County Administrator Tom Taggart. “This should help considerably.”

The county will increase polling precincts from 33 to 49, which will cut nearly in half the number of voters at each polling site, said County Clerk Dan English. Last year, some of the sites had nearly 3,000 voters - more than any other place in the state.

A hefty ballot, which included several amendments and initiatives, combined with the highest voter turnout since the 1970s meant some angry voters waited hours to cast their votes. Because this year’s ballot includes the presidential race, the gridlock could be worse, English said.

The county plans a switch to paper ballots marked by pencil rather than 1994’s punch-hole ballots.

The new ballots will resemble the standardized tests taken by high school students and will be read by a computerized scanner, said DeeDee Beard, elections chief. The change is expected to cut the pre-election workload and speed returns.

Last year, the county used a multi-page punch ballot. All 12 pages were inserted manually in individual metal sleeving for each of the county’s 320 voting booths. Each voting machine had to have a special punch receptacle installed.

The process took seven to 10 people about four hours each.

The ballots also were torn or crumpled easily, which made it impossible for a mechanical tabulator to read them - a problem that doesn’t exist with paper ballots.

“You can wad these ballots up and smooth them out and the machine still reads them,” Beard said.

This year, voters also will have access to election returns from home computers via the Internet moments after ballots are tallied.

The county will start a six-month Internet pilot project in coming weeks. Part of that project will include setting up a place for voters to view returns.

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MEMO: This sidebar appeared with the story: Tryouts Kootenai County will demonstrate the new voting process and computerized scanner at 6 tonight in City Hall.