Nassau County Introduces New Voting Machines

For the upcoming primary elections on September 14, Nassau County residents will be using a paper ballot, a pen and a computer to vote. 

Glen Cove residents were given a sneak preview on Tuesday when the Nassau County Board of Elections demonstrated the OPTical scan electronic voting system at the Glen Cove Senior Center.

"I like the new system," said a voter and poll worker who wished to remain nameless. "A lot of people will want to know how it works."

When citizens arrive at their polling places, they will be given a pre-printed voting ballot and a privacy sleeve. They are then sent to a privacy booth, equipped with a light and a pen for you to mark your ballot. To mark your ballot, you must completely fill in the oval for your desired candidate. There is also space, at the bottom of the ballot, for you to write-in a candidate.

The ballot is then placed into the privacy sleeve and inserted into the optical image scanner for your election district. The machine pulls it in automatically, and the computer screen notifies you if there are any errors. To cast your vote, all you have to do is push the "Cast Vote" button.

Lucy Van Horn, Activities Coordinator of the Glen Cove Senior Center, was pleased the Board of Elections is teaching people, especially seniors, to use the new machines.

"Seniors may find these new machines a bit confusing. Seniors vote. If we don't do anything else, we are voters," Van Horn said.