County tests, demonstrates voting equipment

The eSlate machine is roughly the size of a tablet computer, though it is not touch-sensitive. Voters use a rotating dial and a series of buttons to choose their preferred language and candidates for each race. The buttons are also accompanied by braille writing on the device.

The eSlate device will be used during early voting through Feb. 28 at the three Kaufman County Sub-Courthouses and the Kaufman Annex.

On election day March 4, all 30 county precincts will use paper ballots in conjunction with the eScan machines, which scans the paper ballots and electronically records the votes.

In that system, voters are allowed to select one of a handful of paper ballots according to their registered party and language of choice — English or Spanish — fill in bubbles next to their desired candidate, and the paper is then fed into the large eScan machine, explained Phillip Osteen of Kaufman County Elections.

The demonstration Feb. 12 was held to "test for accuracy of the way (ballots) are counted," Kaufman County Republican Party chairman Bill Baker said.

Osteen said the test is conducted as a requirement by the office of the Texas Secretary of State.

"The Secretary of State requires us to show a vote for each candidate in each precinct," he said. "We have to show someone can win" using the equipment.

The equipment was also made available for voters to come in and learn how to use it ahead of the actual voting period.

About half a dozen voters were on hand during the first hour of the planned two-hour testing procedure.

Disabled-accessible machines will be available at all early voting and election day polling stations. The machine is similar to the eSlate device, but has other options to assist the blind and a puff-device to allow those without use of their arms to vote. The disabled-accessible device was not tested Feb. 12.