Bexar County emergency ballot procedures raise questions as early voting ends Friday – KSAT

Bexar County emergency ballot procedures raise questions as early voting ends Friday  KSAT

As early voting enters its final day, some Bexar County voters may be asked to place their completed paper ballots into an emergency compartment instead of feeding them directly into a ballot scanner. BEXAR COUNTY, Texas – As early voting enters its final day, some Bexar County voters may be asked to place their completed paper ballots into an emergency compartment instead of feeding them directly into a ballot scanner. That can happen when a scanner jams or cannot accept ballots. Two election judges who spoke with KSAT on the condition that they not be identified said they have encountered emergency-bin use during this early voting period. The judges said ballots placed in the emergency compartment are secured, but they are not immediately tabulated at the polling location.

One judge told KSAT ballots can get stuck after being scanned but before falling fully into the scanner’s collection bin. The judge said election workers may open the emergency compartment if they cannot quickly resolve the problem or if technical support has not yet arrived. The judge said the issue can leave voters concerned because the ballot is no longer scanned in front of them. KSAT is not reporting that emergency ballots are inherently unsecure or uncounted. The central question is how voters and the public can verify that those ballots are