New voting machines fare well in county

Mississippi County Clerk Junior DeLay reads off precinct results.

CHARLESTON -- There aren't a lot of handicapped voters in Mississippi County but the new AutoMark voting machines were used and appreciated during Tuesday's primary election.

"We had some use them out of curiosity," said County Clerk Junior DeLay. "We had some handicapped people use them, too."

DeLay said an election official at a precinct in Charleston reported the AutoMark voting machine was used by a blind minister.

"He said that is the first time he has ever voted independently," DeLay said.

At the Anniston precinct, a voter that can't see very well used the AutoMark's ability to zoom in. "He really liked that feature," DeLay said.

Another voter who can't read was able to plug headphones into the AutoMark and hear the names read off.

In addition to features which enable the handicapped to vote, the machines also have a ballot-checking feature to comply with the act's "second chance voting" requirement, bringing the county into full compliance with the Help America Vote Act.

DeLay said he used a pair of high school students at each precinct to assist election judges with the new voting machines.

While he was able to pay the high school students for training, by law he can't pay them for their work during the election, he said.

Commissioner Martin Lucas said he thinks it was a great idea to use the high school students.

"I think it gives them an education on what voting is all about," he said.

DeLay also said the new central tabulator worked out well. "It's so much more sensitive than the other one," he said.