Commission approves touch screen voting machines

By CARA COOPER    Parkersburg News and Sentinel   14 October 2005

RIPLEY - The Jackson County Commission unanimously approved the switch from optical scan voting equipment to touch screen machines Thursday.

The recommendation came courtesy of Jeff Waybright, county clerk, who told commissioners if they accepted the recommendation, the state would provide touch screen machines for each of the county's 39 precincts and possibly one for early voting use.

The allocation is coming courtesy of the new Help America Vote Act, which has to be implemented by Jan. 1, Waybright said.

Waybright said while the switch would have an initial cost, it would save the county money in the long run.

"We will save a considerable amount of money in the cost of ballots alone," Waybright said.

Waybright said the county spends approximately $42,000 a year in the cost of ballots. That figure is the approximate amount the county would have to come up with to implement the switch, he said.

"If we stay paper, we're going to have that much in ballots," he said.

Commission Virginia Starcher asked if the switch would help to diminish the election budget and Waybright informed her it would.

"I think it will be a great asset to the commission and to the voters," said Commissioner Jim Waybright.