Ahead of a busy election year, the Broome County Board of Elections has installed all-new voting machines. They will be used by voters for the first time on Saturday, when early voting in New York’s presidential primary begins.
The last time Broome County’s voting machines were replaced was in 2008. Republican Election Commissioner Mark Smith said the 250 new machines the county purchased are more secure, cause fewer paper jams and scan ballots faster. He said other than that, voters will not notice much of a difference.
“The machine does look similar, the mechanism for inserting your ballot looks very similar,” Smith said. “But it's going to be fed faster, it's going to be read quicker. If there's any issue, not only is it going to kick the ballot out, but it's going to tell you what the issue is.”
Smith said the new machines will also make voting easier and faster for residents with disabilities. Nearly half of the new machines are specifically designed with new, ADA compliant features for voters with disabilities.
“They sit lower, the screen tilts, it could be done by touchscreen, it could be done by remote control, it could be done by the air tube, it could be done by voice and hearing,” Smith said. “Pretty much anything that any voter may need to help them cast their vote on Election Day, these machines are going to allow that.”
The county bonded for $1.7 million in this year’s budget for the machines and the five-year contract with Clear Ballot Group, the company that makes them. The previous machines were made by voting system company Dominion.
Broome County has already contracted for years with Clear Ballot for absentee and affidavit ballot tabulation. Oswego, Onondaga and Chenango counties already use Clear Ballot’s machines. Tompkins County also unveiled new voting machines this month, also from Clear Ballot.
Broome County’s new machines will be used for the first time on Saturday, the first day of early voting in New York’s presidential primary.
This year, the presidential primary is less competitive than in previous years. Former President Donald Trump and current President Joe Biden have both secured the required delegates to be their respective party’s nominee.
Smith said he encourages residents hoping to cast their votes early to look up polling sites and available times in advance.
“We definitely want the voters to come and cast their vote, but I don't expect it to be, it probably won't be a huge, huge turnout,” Smith said. “But come November, I expect a huge, huge turnout, an absolutely massive turnout. When November comes around, I would be shocked if we didn't set early voting records.”
Early voting in the presidential primary in Broome County will take place at the Broome County Public Library in downtown Binghamton and the George F. Johnson Memorial Library in Endicott. Visit the Broome County Board of Elections website for hours and location information.