We won’t have as many voting machines as we’d originally planned, but the Harris County Clerk thinks we’ll have enough to get by.
In addition to the [3100 new machines Commissioners Court authorized them to buy], the county has received pledges of an additional 1,637 loaner machines from other counties, County Clerk spokesman Hector de Leon said. Before the fire, the county had planned to use 5,726 eSlate voting machines and disabled access units. The county is awaiting delivery of 4,737 total machines from the vendor and other counties.
[…]
The replacements translate to an average of 6.4 machines at each of the 736 polling stations, compared with 7.8 machines per voting location originally planned.
County Clerk Beverly Kaufman also will give voters the option to cast paper ballots this year for the first time in a decade. Early voting begins on Oct. 18.
Assuming we actually receive all of those machines in time for the start of Early Voting, then we should be all right. Just curious here, who is planning to ask for a paper ballot when you show up to vote? Leave a comment and let me know.
Me.
I’ll definitely ask just to keep my polling place on their toes.
Just like I show a utility bill instead of voter card to see what the polling operations says.
There was a story in the Statesman yesterday about how Travis County is loaning Harris County some voting machines, emphasizing that we should expect longer lines. Anecdotally, I actually had to wait an hour to vote during early voting in Westlake last November, but that was in part due to SNAFUs with swiping people’s driver’s license, which they’re set up to do here.
Not asking for a paper ballot, but I’m very nervous about this election. I’m regretfully suspicious about the fire which just seems too convenient in timing. Few machines and long lines will potentially disenfranchise disadvantaged voters.