RIDGWAY — With the general election coming up on Nov. 8, Director of Elections Kim Frey spoke to the Elk County Commissioners on Tuesday about several issues that have come up locally and nationally in regards to this year’s election.
To start, Frey said paper ballots will not be available for county residents.
Frey said voters will have to use the county’s electronic system and will not be able to request a paper ballot at the polling place.
“The manner of voting is to be conducted on the voting system,” Frey said. “A person cannot, if they are properly registered to vote, go into a polling place and request a paper ballot.”
Addressing concerns with the electronic systems and the potential for them to be hacked, Frey said that it would be impossible for Elk County’s machines to be hacked.
“It’s just impossible,” Frey said. “I don’t even understand how it could happen. I feel very confident in saying that you can’t hack them.”
Frey said the machines are not connected to the internet, and neither is the computer used to tally the votes. She added the system is state and federally certified and passed a logic and accuracy test in October with no problems being detected. She said the machines are locked in a room at all times.
Recently, the machines have been locked in the gymnasium at the Elk County Courthouse Annex building. Cameras are used to monitor who enters the gymnasium to complete maintenance on the machines.
Frey added that many of the procedures in place to guard the machines are either recommended or mandated by the state.
Elk County Commissioner Jan Kemmer said the county has gone beyond the state’s requirements by purchasing new locks for the gymnasium doors while the machines were inside.
Frey added that Elk County has been using these machines since 2006 and has been conducting two elections per year on them without any issues. The machines have been used in presidential elections as well during the 2008 and 2012 election cycles.
The machines may be used more this year as Frey said she expects a large voter turnout in the county. Currently, there are more than 20,000 registered voters in the county; 1,000 of those voters have registered within the past month.
Frey added that many millennials have been registering to vote.
“Everybody is enthusiastic about this election,” Frey said. “We have a lot of new millennials that are going to go to the polling place for the first time or getting an absentee ballot, which is exciting because we want the voting process to continue.”
While Frey expects a large turnout at the polling places, she said the amount of absentee ballots handed out this year was around average for the county. She estimated the county has given out approximately 770 absentee ballots and received approximately 450 back.
Tuesday was the last day to apply for an absentee ballot, although the county will receive ballots until Friday. Last year, the county handed out 777 absentee ballots.
First-time voters are reminded to bring identification with them to vote, and voters are reminded that Elk County does not allow recording devices within the polling place.
