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New voting machine is welcomed by Southwick City Officials

By Erin O'Connor

Staff Writer



SOUTHWICK - City officials welcomed the new Auto-Mark machines for their May 8 elections. Testing of the voting machines took place on May 1 in the Land Use Room of the Town Hall.

The Auto-Mark machine is a Help America Vote Act of 2002 (HAVA) requirement for individuals with disabilities to include non-visual accessibility for blind and visually impaired and was constructed by the ESS Company.

"It's amazing what this thing can do," Town Clerk Michelle L. Hill said to Reminder Publications. Hill said the machine was built to be used by individuals with all types of disabilities. She said there is a place on the machine for headsets to be plugged in as well as access to an electrical outlet. According to Hill, before the introduction of this machine those with disabilities voted using absentee ballots or the assistance of another party.

She said the new voting machines will allow individuals to vote with "independence."

"It is not meant to single anyone out but to help them. They can use it or choose not to use it. It is a tool there for them," she said.

The machine is available for use by any resident in the town but individuals with actual disabilities are allowed to use the machine first.

"This is a touchy situation," Hill said.

She explained that the way in which voting officials differentiate between those with actual disabilities and those without is by their word and the official's personal knowledge of the voter.

"It is a very difficult fine line that we can't really do anything about," she said.

The machine allows for marks to be placed on the ballot but does not perform a final tally of the votes. The marked ballots must then be put into another machine with the rest of the ballots for a final tally.

"It takes the average person one to two minutes to vote," Hill said. "With the new machine it could take up to seven minutes."

Southwick residents had access to the voting machine on May 8 when Annual Town Elections took place with choice of a new Town Selectman.

(i>(Election results in next edition)