New Voting Machines On Display At Putnam Elections Office

Putnam County residents can test out the new Microvote machines at the Putnam County Elections Office Monday and Tuesday.

The office updated all of its voting machines in accordance with Tennessee State Law that now requires machines to leave a paper audit. Election Administrator Michele Honeycutt said the county opted for the simplest option for the new machines.

“They’re demos, so they’re actually voting,” Honeycutt said. “The people we have are showing them how to do it. They’ll feel more secure when they go on Election Day. Not a new machine. It’s not like a brand new thing that they’ve never seen before.”

She said the new push-button machines have an enhanced screen, but now they print out a paper vote that voters will need to confirm. She said local voters can stop by the practice from 9:00-11:00am Monday and 12:30-2:30pm Tuesday.

“Some of the other choices required systems that you had to send a printer out to each one,” Honeycutt said. “They required a large paper ballot printed, and you had a booth that you mark that on, and you take that and put it through a reader. They just had a lot to it.”

Though called a Microvote system, these machines are not small. Honeycutt said the machines are over 40 pounds heavier than the previous machines. She said the office had to use trucks to get the machines transported. She said these would help ensure a fair, secure election.

“This is the second year that Tennessee actually has been voted the most secure election in the county, and they were voted that by the Heritage Foundation, so that is important,” Honeycutt said. “And we have to abide by the law.”

Honeycutt said if a recount is required at the Putnam County office following an election, the paper votes will be counted to ensure accuracy.

She said Tuesday is the last day to register to vote, so citizens should come in, register, and test out the machines in one fell swoop.