By Lemika Fondren
BLAINE, Minn. (July 26, 2018)– With the 2018 Primary Elections coming up, local voters will no longer check in on paper. Instead, voters in Anoka County will check in at their polling place using a new electronic poll book system.
Known as e-poll books, the technology has been used in several Minnesota counties since 2016 and Anoka County is just one of many counties implementing it this year. This e-poll system will use iPads electronically loaded with voter rosters to check people in.
According to Blaine officials, the new system is intended to make the check in process for voters faster, dissolve the hassle of managing the roster binder and eliminate administrative errors. The check-in lines sorted by last name will be a thing of the past, and voters will be able to check-in with any open election judge.
On average, a polling place will have four e-poll books, but that will vary depending on precinct size. 34 states currently use e-poll books and the Poll Pad selected for Anoka County has been used in 23 states with over 8 million voters processed in 2016.
