Thousands of old voting machines across Virginia – and in the Historic Triangle – will be replaced if legislators vote to approve a $28 million plan from Gov. Terry McAuliffe.
McAuliffe announced Monday he wants to spend the money to ensure all of the voting machines in Virginia are modern machines that digitally scan paper ballots and leave a paper trail for recounts.
The 135 municipalities in Virginia currently use a smattering of different systems. Some, like Williamsburg, use modern digital-scan machines like the ones McAuliffe wants to buy, while others, like James City County, are using older equipment.
For James City County Registrar A.J. Cole, the governor’s announcement was a welcome one.
“We’ve managed to maintain our old equipment and perform upgrades to keep it viable,” he said, “but we would definitely benefit from this.”
Cole said that when he began as registrar in 2006, the county was using machines from as far back as 1985. Those machines require voters to mark their choice on a paper ballot and then insert it into a scanner to be recorded.
He has since replaced those machines with the same model, but the system is getting old and the type of machine McAuliffe wants to buy offers several advantages: The new digital-scan machines can isolate write-in ballots and separate Republican and Democratic ballots during primaries; they also take digital pictures of each ballot.
York County is in the same position, using a combination of machines like those in James City County and several touch-screen machines purchased primarily for use by the disabled community, said Walt Latham, the county’s registrar.
State law now prohibits municipalities from purchasing the touch-screen machines — they do not leave a paper trail — though existing machines may still be used. York County’s current budget has $300,000 slated to purchase a new set of modern machines by July.
“We’re going to have to watch this very closely and maybe have a backup plan,” Latham said, noting he does not want to duplicate efforts and waste resources.
McAuliffe’s plan requires approval by the General Assembly before any money can be disbursed to pay for new machines. Latham said he wants new machines in place by June so they may be used in that month’s primary election. The volunteers and staff members who run the election will need time to train on the machines, too.
For Williamsburg, the adoption of the modern machines has served the city well, Registrar Win Sowder said.
“I think they are the very best machines you can get,” she said. “I love those machines. I’m very pleased the rest of the state will also have them.”
Sowder said outfitting both of the city’s voting precincts with the modern machines was one of her first actions when she became registrar in 2007.
In a news release announcing his plan to seek funding for the new machines, the governor said 49 municipalities reported issues with voting machines during the last election.
“Participating in our democracy is one of the most important rights we have as citizens of this Commonwealth and country,” McAuliffe said in the release. “However, we cannot expect Virginians to come to the polls on Election Day if we cannot ensure that their votes will be counted correctly and in a timely manner.”
By purchasing new systems, election results would be transmitted to the Virginia Department of Elections on election night faster than in the past, according to the release. A few municipalities were late in submitting results after November’s election, rendering state officials unable to declare a winner in the U.S. Senate race between incumbent Mark Warner and challenger Ed Gillespie. Gillespie later conceded the race, cementing Warner’s win.
The release contained support from Congressman Scott Rigell, who said many Virginians experienced challenges when voting in November and the machines will help create a more effective voting process.
Virginia Department of Elections Commissioner Edgardo Cortes said the move would “reduce inefficiencies by allowing the Department of Elections to provide uniform training to all election officials, volunteers, and monitors since all localities will have the same voting technology.”
The $28 million proposal includes funding to reimburse municipalities that have already purchased the new machines along with $30,000 per year to update the Department of Elections website to make it more reliable for future elections.
