AUSTIN, Texas, September 26, 2017 – Hart InterCivic, Austin-based election solution provider, has again earned an overwhelming vote of confidence from customers nationwide. In its 2017 customer satisfaction survey, 100 percent of customers who chose Hart over their previous vendors ranked Hart’s customer service as excellent or above-average. Ninety-five percent of customers overall gave Hart those same high ratings, and 92 percent said they would recommend Hart to a colleague.

Hart has tracked customer satisfaction with a standardized annual survey since 2007, giving customers a consistent method for voicing their feedback. For six years running Hart has surpassed its 90+ percent benchmark goal in key categories. This formal check-in is a cornerstone of fulfilling the company’s ongoing commitment to continuously improving the Hart customer experience.

“We are dedicated to providing excellence in all areas of service,” said Phillip Braithwaite, President and CEO of Hart InterCivic. “The voice of the customer is the one of the strongest factors driving innovation in Hart’s election solutions. Our customers clearly see their input reflected in our new flagship Verity® Voting system.”

Validating market enthusiasm for Hart’s Verity election system, customers who have deployed the state-of-the-art system showed a marked increase in customer satisfaction over previous years. Customers remarked that the system has “significantly reduced time needed to scan/count an election,” noting the “ease of use for voters” and “how easy it was to learn and take to the polling locations.”

In recognition of the high marks received in its 2017 customer satisfaction survey, Hart shared the following exceptionally positive remarks from respondents:

• “We are a county who just switched over and we were so surprised at the amazing customer service!”
• “The people at Hart always go above and beyond to help their customers. I cannot think of a time when any of my issues have gone unresolved. Thanks for all that you all do!”
• “Leading the industry with well-designed and engineered voting system solutions.”
• “You listened to people’s concerns at the last user group meeting and changed your approach. Thank you. This year’s user group meeting was one of the most useful ones I have attended.”
• “Hart has great open channels of communication and are there to help when we need them.”
• “Appreciate the relationships that Hart has with their customers. Responsiveness is key. Hart gets that right!!”
• “I have been an Elections Administrator for a little over a year, and people at Hart have been very supportive and have always answered my questions with the utmost courtesy and friendly responses. I have been made to feel more confident in this job with their guidance and assistance. Thank you.”
• “You are consistently excellent and have been for all the years I’ve dealt with your company. (15 years)”

“We are grateful to our customers for their high level of participation in the survey,” said Braithwaite. “Survey results initiate action plans that enable us to continue to enhance our outstanding customer service – a central value in Hart’s culture. Customer satisfaction and loyalty hold the keys to our company’s growth.”

PONTIAC, Michigan, September 19 – Hart InterCivic’s Verity® Voting system passed its first hands-on test in Michigan with flying colors when voters in Oakland, Muskegon, and Ottawa counties went to the polls this August.

The three jurisdictions are the first of 11 new Hart partners in Michigan to vote with Verity, the most up-to-date election system available. Verity was chosen for its transparency, security, ease of use, efficient software and customer service.

At the polls, voters used a paper ballot and immediately fed it into a scanner at the precinct. “They loved it,” said Joe Rozell, Director of Elections for Oakland County. “The No. 1 comment I heard was how much voters liked the confirmation ‘Your ballot has been counted’ on the screen.”

For Rozell, a three-year member of Michigan’s joint evaluation committee, seeing Verity’s secure transmission system in action was an impressive example of using innovation and teamwork to best serve Michigan voters. Hart developed the Relay feature to meet Michigan’s strict standards for securely delivering vote totals to a central office.

“We pushed Hart to come up with an innovative, secure solution for Michigan transmissions. Relay exceeded every expectation,” Rozell said. “With Relay, we were able to create a private network using AT&T, and our election data never touched the internet. It worked perfectly, and we had secure results at the main office 27 minutes after the polls closed. That was never possible before.”

Preparation leading up to Election Day also got high marks from county officials. Verity’s easy-to-use features for ballot layout and election pre-definition eliminate the need to bring in a consultant to prepare for every election. This translates into significant ongoing costs savings for Verity users.

Justin Roebuck, Ottawa County Clerk, credited Hart’s training and customer service for a trouble-free election process. “Not only was a project manager on hand for training, but Hart’s educational materials are exceptional,” he said. “We’ve been so impressed with the level of detail and the thoughtfulness that goes into the training materials.”

Roebuck said the proof of how well his poll workers were trained began early on election morning when he typically expects many troubleshooting phone calls. “At 7:30, I had to test my phone to make sure it was working because we had no calls from the precincts! Setup and opening the polls were unusually smooth.”

“Plus, the support from the Hart team was phenomenal on Election Day. They had folks standing by, and they visited each of our precincts during the day. That night they were on hand to make sure we were able to receive our results appropriately and properly.”

Oakland County saw the state’s first test of the Verity Central high-speed scanning solution in a recount. County Clerk Lisa Brown set up a large-screen display so that the board of canvassers, candidates and members of the public could see and discuss all the ballots that needed adjudication at the same time.

“It was wonderful,” Brown said. “Not only was it completely transparent, but it was simple to understand, and we were done quickly. With Verity’s color-coded display, we could quickly see what was wrong with a ballot, make a judgment and move along.”

“Not a single vote changed in the recount,” Brown said, praising the reliability of the system. “I love when I am reassured that I made the right decision, and it just keeps happening with Hart.”

“We congratulate Michigan’s early Verity adopters on their successful first elections with the new system,” said Phillip Braithwaite, President and CEO of Hart InterCivic. “These leaders’ positive experiences echo what we are seeing across the U.S. as a growing number of jurisdictions adopt Verity. Our other Michigan counties can look to Muskegon, Oakland and Ottawa as they prepare for November elections. Hart and Verity are in Michigan for the long haul; we are committed to fostering smoothly run elections in the state for many years ahead.

Based in Austin, Texas, Hart has seen tremendous customer growth in recent years, and extremely high customer satisfaction. The company uses a direct partnership approach to servicing the election solutions it provides, citing higher accountability and reduction in “middleman” costs.

CHESAPEAKE, Virginia, Sept. 14 – The Virginia cities of Chesapeake, Alexandria and Falls Church are the latest to purchase the new Verity® Voting system from Hart InterCivic. Each of these cities has an established relationship with Hart, and choosing Verity’s paper ballot technology was a natural progression. Working with a trusted vendor will help the cities efficiently meet Virginia laws requiring paper ballots.

“We have history in Virginia and understand the changes that have been mandated across the Commonwealth,” said Phillip Braithwaite, President and CEO of Hart InterCivic. “Many localities have already moved to Verity. We are working closely with our newest Verity adopters to transition smoothly to the system. They’ve made the best choice.”

Officials in each of the three upgrading cities chose the innovative Verity Scan digital scanning device, allowing voters to scan their paper ballots in the polling place, and the accessible Verity Touch Writer ballot marking device. The two devices share the same secure, compact hardware platform as well as an easy-to-use interface.

Alexandria and Falls Church chose Verity Build’s user-friendly interface to format ballots and predefine elections, while Chesapeake will contract with Hart for ballot production services.

Tabulation will be handled in each jurisdiction by Verity Count, secure, easy-to-use software that tallies and reports cast vote records from Verity voting devices.

Verity’s portable, briefcase style and collapsible ballot box simplify transport, setup and storage. Many election managers see reductions in delivery trips and transport costs.

These Verity purchases build on more than a decade of professional election partnerships between Hart and Virginia localities.  With more than 100 years of election experience, Hart is known for top-rated customer service and flexible innovation.

“Hart’s expertise in the change management methods needed to transition to new voting technology are paying off as upgrades roll out across Virginia,” said Braithwaite. “We welcome Chesapeake, Alexandria and Falls Church and expect more announcements soon.”

For more information on the Verity Voting system, please visit www.hartintercivic.com/verityoverview.

MERTZON, Texas, Sept. 12, 2017 – Irion County has chosen Hart InterCivic’s Verity® Voting to replace their 12-year-old system before November’s election. Verity provides the most up-to-date election technology available in the U.S., and it is backed by Hart’s solid existing relationship with the County.

“We have partnered with Irion County since 2005, and we understand their election preferences and needs,” said Phillip Braithwaite, President and CEO of Hart InterCivic, an Austin-based company with more than 100 years of election experience.

“Irion has consistently given us high marks for customer support, and we appreciate their latest vote of confidence – choosing Verity. Plans are in progress to start implementation, including hands-on training.”

County election officials are also moving ahead to adopt convenient Vote Centers, a transition made easier with Verity’s flexible electronic voting system. As the county consolidates its polling sites into fewer and more efficient Vote Centers, Verity Controllers that are no longer needed can be easily and inexpensively converted into additional voting terminals that will come in handy for the higher turnout elections coming in 2018.

Officials from Irion and other Texas counties observed a mock election with the Verity Voting System at a workshop in Lubbock last month, where the countywide polling place concept was pioneered in Texas. Lubbock County officials enthusiastically chose Verity to support their Vote Centers; they frequently volunteer to help train and advise other counties making the transition away from precinct-only voting.

Verity is a federally and state certified system designed from the ground up to be flexible, easy to use and secure with all new hardware and software. Voters appreciate Verity’s up-to-date touchscreen tablet that many compare to an iPad. In addition, the system’s lightweight, removable tablet and accessibility features accommodate all voters, including those with disabilities.

Election managers appreciate Verity’s reliable and secure technology and its user-friendly approach. The lightweight, compact Verity Voting equipment is easy to transport and store.

With this upgrade, Irion County joins a growing number of Texas jurisdictions acting now to prepare for important upcoming elections. Since the Texas Secretary of State certified the latest release of Hart InterCivic’s Verity® Voting system in mid-December, Hart has shipped more than 7,000 Verity devices across the State.  Federally certified in 2015, the secure and efficient system is also in use in numerous counties throughout the U.S.

Braithwaite expects more Texas announcements in the coming weeks.

Learn more about Verity in Texas: https://www.hartintercivic.com/texas4verity.

ZAPATA, Texas, Sept. 7, 2017—Zapata County Commissioners are moving forward with new election technology to provide an easy and transparent experience for voters for many years to come. They chose Verity® Voting system from trusted vendor Hart InterCivic. Hart has partnered with Zapata County on elections since 2005, earning confidence for the company’s reliability and customer support.

“Excellent customer service is a priority, and Hart has been in our corner every step of the way,” said County Clerk Mary Jayne Villarreal-Bonoan. “It’s been more than a decade since we chose new election technology, and there is a lot riding on this choice. We know Hart stands behind their customers. When we have a question, they are always available to help.”

Villarreal-Bonoan is looking forward to the advances that the Verity system will bring to her South Texas county. On Election Day, voters will still have the option of voting a paper ballot or an electronic one. Voters who mark paper ballots by hand will cast their votes by inserting the ballot into the easy-to-use Verity Scan tabulator. Others will vote electronically using the Verity Touch direct record electronic (DRE) device – an alternative that offers numerous accessibility features. Once either type of ballot is cast, the voter sees the message “Your ballot has been counted,” and the image of an American flag.

“We appreciate Zapata County’s confidence in Hart. We have worked with them more than a decade and we look forward to continuing to care for that relationship,” said Phillip Braithwaite, President and CEO of Hart InterCivic, an Austin-based company with more than 100 years of election experience.

“Verity is the most up-to-date election technology in the U.S., and Zapata’s leaders are making a well-timed move for their voters,” he said.

The flexible Verity system is easy for poll workers to use, and its lightweight and compact equipment simplifies transport. Hart and Villarreal-Bonoan are planning hands-on training for precinct workers and will roll out Verity for the November election.

Since the Texas Secretary of State certified the latest release of Hart InterCivic’s Verity® Voting system in mid-December, more than 7,000 Verity devices have been shipped across the state. Federally certified in 2015, the secure and efficient system is also in use in counties throughout the U.S.

Braithwaite expects more Texas announcements in the coming weeks.

CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas, September 5, 2017 — Ease of use for voters and poll workers was a key consideration in Nueces County Commissioners’ approval of Hart InterCivic’s Verity® Voting, an all-new system specifically designed for ease of use. County Clerk Kara Sands determined that Verity would streamline the voting process for voters, poll workers, and elections staff, while providing value for the County over the long-term. The purchase of Verity, including new electronic touchscreen voting devices and Hart’s innovative AutoBallot kit, will streamline the entire voting process. For voters, this means shorter lines and a move intuitive voting experience.

“With Hart’s Verity system and AutoBallot, human errors at voter check-in will be eliminated,” said Sands. “When voters arrive, a poll worker simply scans a barcode that automatically assigns the right ballot for that voter. And we’ll be able to continue using our current electronic poll books with the new system, saving the cost of purchasing new ones.”

Nueces County has almost 200,000 registered voters, and Commissioners wanted to keep the efficiencies provided by all-electronic voting. In addition, “Vote Centers are popular with voters, and with the new Verity system, we can continue offering voters that convenience,” Sands said.

The County is currently using an earlier Hart voting system. With this upgrade, the County joins a growing number of jurisdictions acting now to prepare for important upcoming elections.

“We value Nueces County’s continued trust in Hart,” said Phillip Braithwaite, President and CEO of Hart InterCivic, an Austin-based company with more than 100 years of election experience. “Verity is the perfect solution for meeting stakeholders’ needs now and in the future. We are committed to making sure the County’s adoption of their new system goes smoothly, and we look forward to successful elections in Nueces County for years to come. We think voters and poll workers will appreciate how easy it is to use the all-new Verity technology.”

“Voters will love the user-friendly Verity touchscreen voting tablet,” said Sands. “Voting will be like using their smartphones and iPads – simple and fast. The new system also has built-in features that make voting easy for everyone, including our voters with disabilities. And it’s a quick process to take the tablet to voters who need curbside voting.”

Voters can switch between ballot languages while they are voting, adjust the screen’s contrast and font size and, if the voter is using the device’s headphones, control the speed and the volume of the audio.

The lightweight, compact Verity Voting equipment is easy for poll workers to transport in everyday vehicles and set up in the most convenient arrangement at polling places.

“Poll workers will be pleasantly surprised by how easy it is to set up the Verity equipment,” said Sands. “They’ll be able to open and close polls with only a few steps, and get home faster at the end of the day.”

On election night, Verity enables officials to publish results faster, because poll workers close polls on all voting tablets at once and report consolidated totals in just one step – without having to collect votes from every device separately. With Verity, multiple voting devices are networked together and monitored from a single controller device, centralizing management of polling place devices.

The County’s experience working with Hart 2005 contributed to the decision to select Verity when they refreshed their election technology. “Trust is important in elections, and we know we can count on Hart to provide the products and service we need,” said Sands.

Braithwaite expects more Texas announcements in the coming weeks.

Learn more about Verity in Texas: https://www.hartintercivic.com/texas4verity.

NORFOLK, Virginia, August 29, 2017— The City of Norfolk has selected the all-new Verity® Voting system from Hart InterCivic as its paper-ballot election solution. The City’s choice of Verity follows a methodical selection process in which General Registrar Stephanie Iles and the Norfolk Electoral Board available voting systems over the past two years. The selection team expressed enthusiasm about the following distinctive Verity features:

• Compact and lightweight Verity polling place devices, encased in sturdy integrated cases for easy storage, transport and setup
• Ease of use of the fresh new interface that is consistent across all Verity components and is based on Design for Democracy templates designed by the Election Assistance Commission (EAC) and the American Institute of Graphic Arts (AIGA)
• Superior accessibility of the ADA-compliant Verity Touch Writer, which allows all voters to privately and independently mark their ballots using a touchscreen along with numerous accessibility features including an audio ballot; then prints full-sized ballot so that no voters’ ballots are segregated.

Verity alleviates one challenge that jurisdictions can face when conducting elections in which all voters cast their votes using paper ballots – providing enough of each type of ballot required. Verity Print is an on-demand ballot printing solution that allows election officials to print the correct ballot for each voter based on check-in information.

“With state-of-the art paper ballot technology, Verity has been a natural choice for many election officials responding to new regulations in the Commonwealth,” said Phillip Braithwaite, President and CEO of Hart InterCivic, an Austin-based company with more than 100 years of election experience.

“The City of Norfolk joins a growing number of Virginia jurisdictions moving to Verity, and we welcome them to the fold. While Hart is new to Norfolk, we have served Virginia jurisdictions for more than a decade. The Commonwealth’s election needs are part of Verity’s DNA,” he added.

Braithwaite expects more announcements in the coming weeks.