a. Elections update - Laserfiche WebLink

Some of our scanners are equipped with modems. These modems will allow us to modem in the results from the outlying precincts to speed up the election reporting. This feature will not be used in the primary election but should be ready to go by the general election. A big consideration in this purchase was the November weather in North Dakota. A couple of times in the past few years we have had to use the Sheriffs department to pick up ballots at outlying precincts because of winter storms and icy roads. With the modems, we can get the results we need immediately and the election board can control the ballots until the next day when the weather clears. Early Voting Precinct An option that we will not use in the primary election but may came back to you for the general election is the Early Voting Precinct. An Early Voting Precinct is exactly what the names implies. It is a precinct that opens up to 15 days before the election and allows people to cast their ballot much like they would in a regular polling place. The difference is that one board would handle ballot for all 59 precincts in the county. The advantage over regular absentee voting at the auditor's office is the reduction of paperwork, and true second chance voting. The voter would put their ballot in the scanner after voting at the early voting precinct and would know immediately that their vote counted. With the number of people who vote early this may prove to be a popular addition to the voting options. . Statewide Voter Data Base. Starting later this year we will begin working on a state wide voter data base. The costs for the data base will be covered by the federal funding but a fair amount of the work will have to be done by the local county auditor's office. This system will replace our current voter data base and will be tied in with DOT, Vital Stats, Courts, etc to keep the data as accurate as possible. The purpose of this data base is to be able to provide poll workers with more consistent data statewide.