Armstrong County residents invited to try new voting machines

Armstrong County residents will be able to try out new voting machines at an expo next week.

The new voting system expo will be held from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 30, at the Kittanning Township Volunteer Fire Department, 13126 Route 422.

The Pennsylvania Department of State directed counties to select new voting systems that provide paper records selected by Dec. 31 and have them in use by the 2020 primary.

Department spokeswoman Wanda Murren recommended that people go to the expo. There are four systems that counties can choose from, and two more may be added.

All six can be shown at the expo, she said.

“It’s a really good opportunity for people to try the voting systems. They can use it and do a ballot,” she said. “It’s the best way to understand,” said.

The new system must produce a paper ballot, which a voter would then turn in, Armstrong County chief Administrator Aaron Poole said.

Voters will be able to verify their votes on the paper ballot, and they could be used in the event of a recount, Poole said.

Several vendors will be attending the expo, but Poole could not say how many will be there. Residents will be able to try and give their opinions on the voting machines.

“There’s some differences between the different companies,” Poole said. “Tax dollars will be paying for this. We’d like their input on this.”

Gov. Tom Wolf said it’s the “right thing” for every Pennsylvania county to buy new voting machines in time for 2020’s elections. It’s expected to cost about $125 million, and Wolf wants to get at least half the cost covered by the state, Murren said.

Pennsylvania is one of 13 states where most or all voters use machines that store votes electronically without printed ballots or other paper-based backups that could be used to double-check the vote. The push for new machines comes after federal authorities say Russian hackers targeted at least 21 states during 2016’s presidential election.

Following the expo, Poole said Armstrong County will start narrowing down its choices in the spring.

Brian Rittmeyer is a Tribune-Review staff writer. You can contact Brian at 724-226-4701, brittmeyer@tribweb.com or via Twitter @BCRittmeyer.