Grant process approved for electronic poll books in Appomattox County

The Appomattox County Board of Supervisors (BOS) approved a motion to move forward with a grant process to obtain state-funded electronic poll books (EPB) for the county’s voting precincts.

Lannis Selz, secretary of the Appomattox County Electoral Board, made a pitch for the approval at the July 15 meeting. The EPBs would be implemented for early and absentee voting as well as in-person voting on election days.

According to Selz, Appomattox is one of six, out of 133 districts in Virginia, that still use paper poll books. Although they work fine, as Selz stated, he expressed concerns that “technology is marching on” and the county may find itself in a position where the item becomes essential. Selz is unsure if the grants will be made available in the future.

“What we’re concerned about is that at some point this might become an explicit mandate that we use electronic poll books at some point in the future, or it may be an implied mandate with the state, which (certain requirements) can’t be met without the use of electronic poll books even though they don’t say you have to buy them,” Selz said.

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