Election Tech

Following technical problems that forced a return to paper poll books in the May primary election, officials in Berks County, Pa., are putting electronic poll books through their paces ahead of the general election.

The County Elections Administration was approved to purchase several pieces of election software. The $42,800 purchase will be made with money from $120,000 the county received under the Help America Vote Act with a county match.

Voters got to see a new voting tabulator, the ES&S DS200, and get an overview of how the machine works. Officials say the technology will add even more accuracy to the vote counting process.

Alameda, Contra Costa and San Francisco counties all use the PollChief software to manage poll worker schedules and track voting equipment. Konnech, the company behind PollChief, has been accused of storing sensitive data in China.

Consumers' appetite for locally grown produce, technological advances in agriculture and efforts to shorten supply chains are fomenting the growth of the vertical farming in Texas and around the world.

McLean County Clerk Kathy Michael publicly tested election equipment on Thursday morning before voters head to the polls Nov. 8, and all of the tabulation machines performed correctly during the test.

The DeKalb County elections board has chosen not to end its relationship with Konnech, a software company whose founder was recently arrested on accusations he stole the personal data of California poll workers.

Township officials recently invested $22,000 in increased technology and security by equipping each box with four surveillance cameras, including one that is inside the box's delivery door.

Election officials in Berks County began the arduous process of testing a warehouse full of voting machines ahead of the November elections. More than 800 machines will be put through their paces in the week-long test.

While the voting machines themselves passed the examination by officials and staff, concerns were raised about how candidate information was displayed on the screen and whether it would favor one candidate over another.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation is reporting that China and Russia are actively amplifying existing election misinformation in an effort to to interfere in the November midterms.

With the 2022 midterms looming, elections officials around the country are working to keep false claims out of the headlines, push for free and fair elections, and foster constituent trust in the process.

Some 34,000 voting machines and 4,000 ballot scanners are being tested ahead of the November elections. Concerns about election integrity and security have been high despite the lack of evidence of manipulation or errors.

The Ulster County Board of Elections will host a demonstration of the new voting machines that are being considered to replace nearly 200 older models. Officials say the event is part of the selection process.

A Fulton County special grand jury is looking at an election data breach some 200 miles south of metro Atlanta, which legal experts say suggests that prosecutors are seriously weighing racketeering charges.

The Luzerne County Council has approved a nearly $500,000 contract for a new ballot sorting system. The new technology will reduce the number of county employees tasked with processing mail-in ballots.

Norwich and Stonington registrars reported that multiple machines at polling locations in the two municipalities malfunctioned during the Aug. 9 primary election. Approximately 50 machines were affected throughout the state.

The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) released tools this past week to help protect the upcoming midterm elections against ransomware, phishing and DDoS attacks.