McKean County is on target to have its new electronic voting
machines in place and operational before the May 16 primary
election.

That’s the word from County Administrator Richard Casey on
Thursday, who said the county received some of the machines
Wednesday.

“We’re doing good,” Casey said. “We are on target to have
everything in place and running.”

Some counties are not so lucky. In an Associated Press report,
Secretary of State Pedro Cortes said while most of the state’s 67
counties will be operational in time for the election, others risk
losing federal funding because vendors can’t guarantee they will be
able to receive the machines on time.

Those counties also waited until after a state Supreme Court
ruling that struck down a lower court decision that asserted the
counties could not change voting systems without a voter
referendum. Each state must have electronic voting machines in
place per federal law.

Locally, poll workers have begun receiving training on the new
machines, which will replace the antiquated lever-type machines the
county has used for years. Training sessions on the machines will
also be scheduled for the public in the weeks leading up the
election.

Voters can also practice casting their ballots online, as an
electronic version of the county’s voting machines is available for
use through a link from the company, Nebraska-based Election
Systems & Software to the county’s Web site, which can be found
at www.mckeancountypa.org.

The lever-type machines used in the county and elsewhere were
decertified by the federal government following the 2000 Bush-Gore
presidential race, which was eventually settled in the U.S. Supreme
Court as a result of Florida’s protracted ballot review. The county
had to purchase the machines through the Department of State.

Counties are required to install the electronic machines under
the federal Help America Vote Act (HAVA). If the lower court ruling
would have stood, local voters would have used paper ballots to
cast their choices for U.S. Senator and representative, governor
and a handful of state representatives.

McKean County is one of 24 counties statewide where the
changeover is taking place. Officials said the county currently has
$320,000 in HAVA funding available to purchase the new machines.
Additional funding will be used to upgrade voting precincts across
the county for handicap accessibility.

Casey said previously the county is in line to receive 70
machines for its 42 voting districts. Officials want at least two
machines at each precinct and others as backups that can be moved
around on election day as needed. One precinct – Sergeant Township
– will continue to use paper ballots per referendum.

Director of Elections Judy Ordiway said the electronic systems
are a little larger than a suitcase, with a more rectangular
screen. The machines come equipped with safeguards for voters
making mistakes during the process and will be able to handle
write-in candidates.

The official tabulation will still be done at the elections
office at the courthouse in Smethport, Ordiway said.