Test of paper-ballot voting machines begins in Conyers

No problems reported in state’s pilot program.

More than a dozen voters have used new paper-ballot voting machines in Conyers during early voting with no reported problems, the first step of a new pilot program to test the machines in Georgia.

“It’s fair to say we’re excited to get the ball rolling and partner with a good elections office and give voters a preview of what the future of voting may look like,” said Chris Harvey, Georgia’s elections director.

“This kind of technology seems to be what a lot of states are going toward,” Harvey added. “This is becoming the new normal.”

The program for now is a one-off effort meant to demonstrate how Georgia could get past its current system, which is almost entirely electronic and has no paper trail.

The system, used statewide since 2002, was considered state-of-the-art when it was adopted 15 years ago but is now universally acknowledged by experts to be vulnerable to security risks and buggy software.

Any decision on changing the state’s voting machines would likely be a three- to four-year proposition for the state and, depending on the type of system officials pick, could cost more than $100 million. Cheaper options are available, but the state’s leaders all need to agree on what they want.

Early voting in Georgia

Early voting started in Conyers and across Georgia on Monday ahead of local contests and special elections scheduled for Nov. 7.

Be sure to check with your local elections office to confirm where to go cast an early ballot, since early voting locations are not the same as regular neighborhood polling places.

The municipalities are only opening select sites during the early voting period, which for many may only be the main county elections office.

Any registered voter can vote early.

Use the Secretary of State Office’s online “my voter page” website (www.mvp. sos.ga.gov/MVP/mvp.do) to find a sample ballot or specific early voting location.

You can also call your local elections office to find early voting locations or look for the “advance voting info” link under the elections tab of the Secretary of State Office’s website (www.sos.ga.gov).

Don’t forget to bring photo identification, which can include a Georgia driver’s license, even if it’s expired; a state-issued voter identification card; a valid U.S. passport; or a valid U.S. military photo ID.

No “ballot selfies” are allowed at the polls, so wait to snap a photo until you’re outside. It is illegal in Georgia to take pictures of a ballot or voting equipment, but the Secretary of State Office has said it has seen voters in previous elections post “ballot selfies” on social media — something that could get you in trouble with the law.

Information about local elections and your “My Voter Page” can also be found on the free “GA SOS” app for your smartphone via iTunes or Google Play for Android.