Inside the e-pollbook technology powering voting across Southeastern PA – Technical.ly

Inside the e-pollbook technology powering voting across Southeastern PA  Technical.ly

Public records show how iPads, Surface tablets and paper rolls verify registrations across southeastern Pennsylvania counties. Some voters going to the polls in the Philly metro area will be checked in on Apple iPads. In other places, poll workers will use a Microsoft Surface tablet. And in Chester County, they’ll still turn the pages of a paper book. Philadelphia and its four collar counties use varying systems to confirm registration and issue the correct ballot to each voter on Nov. 3, according to official records viewed by Technical.ly. Most use electronic pollbooks (e-pollbooks), which can simplify check-ins but need a strong backup plan, said Pamela Smith, president and CEO of Verified Voting, an organization that advocates for responsible technology use in elections.

“[E-pollbooks are] a great tool. If they don’t work, they can really slow things down,” Smith told Technical.ly. “People are really paying attention to: What’s plan B?” “If they don’t work, they can really slow things down. People are really paying attention to: What’s plan B?” Last spring, Technical.ly and Bucks County Beacon submitted open records requests to each county to find out more about their backup plans, and learn what training and guardrails they have to make sure the tech doesn’t disrupt voting. E-pollbooks gained popularity because they make it easier to look up voters and confirm