Voters can now listen to ballots

By Jerry Cornfield

Everett Herald     13 September 2005

EVERETT - Voters in Snohomish County next week will be able to hear, rather than see, the names of candidates before casting their ballots.

For the first time, one touch-screen machine in each polling place will be equipped so voters can put on a headset, listen to a recorded ballot and use a keypad to make their ions.

Dorothy Sauerland of Everett, who is a poll judge for the Sept. 20 primary, learned how to set up and use the gear at a training session last week.

Pulling on the earphones, she listened intently, frowning when moments passed and she heard nothing. On a second effort, a look of satisfaction replaced her frown.

"It was a little perplexing. It's not real clear. You have to have patience," she said. "But I did get it, and it will be a big help for people with trouble seeing. Just to have it will be a convenience for them."

Another poll judge, Ray Baron of Marysville, gave it a try. It won his endorsement.

"It seemed strange to be listening to (the ballot)," he said. "It's something different. It will be a good thing."

While this audio capability is intended for use by blind and sight-impaired voters, any person can request it. Poll workers need only plug in an attachment to make it function.

Voters will pull on a headset and be handed a keypad that they'll use to move through and mark the ballot. The keypad has four buttons - "," "up," "down" and "help." Each button is a different color and shape and is identified in Braille.

Voters will press the round red "" button to begin and use the directional keys to scroll through the choices. They must listen carefully because when the audio program is operating, the voting machine screen remains blank.

Peggy Butler of Mill Creek, who's worked in polling places in Snohomish and King counties for the past 50 years, said the system is confusing at first.

"It may slow voting down on that particular machine," she remarked after giving it a tryout. "But I think it's wonderful. It's something that can help."