LAKEPORT, Calif. – With the Secretary of State’s Office having set a deadline of later this year to decertify old voting equipment – including the system used for more than 35 years by Lake County – the Board of Supervisors this week approved the purchase of new equipment that will be in place for a May special election.
Last month, Secretary of State Alex Padilla began the process of withdrawing certification or conditional approval of voting systems that were not tested or certified under the most recent state security standards.Padilla’s action requires county elections officials to implement voting systems that meet the state’s newest testing and certification standards in time for the March 3, 2020, Presidential Primary Election.
The current fiscal year’s state budget includes $134.3 million for counties to upgrade or replace aging voting systems, with counties required to provide a dollar-for-dollar match. Padilla said the funding can only be used by counties to purchase or lease a California Voting System Standards compliant system.
On Feb. 12, the Board of Supervisors accepted a resolution approving the county’s application to the state for $246,000 for the voting system, $10,000 for cyber security and $10,000 for polling place accessibility.
Financial support also is available from the final appropriation of funds to states from the 2002 Help America Vote Act, which Congress approved last year. Padilla designated $20 million of these funds to help counties purchase new voting equipment as they transition to the Voter’s Choice Act.
The California Voting System Standards were updated in 2015. Padilla’s office reported that, since then, 20 of California’s 58 counties have purchased voting systems that meet these higher standards, while several other counties have started the process of upgrading their systems.
Many counties, like Lake, have continued to use what are known as “legacy systems” that were not tested to the latest California Voting System Standards.
The Secretary of State’s Office confirmed that Lake County has continued to use the DFM Mark-A-Vote, an optical scan paper ballot voting system. Lake and Sonoma counties are the last two counties to use the system. Lake has used it since 1983.
Under the current California Voting System Standards, three voting systems have been tested and certified: Dominion Voting Inc.’s Democracy Suite 5.2 Voting System, the county of Los Angeles’ Voting Solutions for All People Tally 1.0 System and Hart InterCivic’s Verity Voting 3.0.1 Voting System.
Padilla said all other systems previously certified or conditionally approved – including Mark-A-Vote – will no longer be certified or conditionally approved effective August 27, 2019, as provided in California Elections Code section 19232. However, Padilla has made it possible for counties to request an extension for conditional use of legacy systems, which have to be submitted by April 5 with a plan and schedule for how to move to a certified system.
With funds available, on Tuesday the Board of Supervisors approved the purchase of Hart InterCivic’s Verity Voting 3.0.1 Voting System in order to meet the state deadline.
Hart was the lowest bidder of two who responded to a request for proposals the Registrar of Voters Office and County Administrative Office issued Jan. 22. The RFP closed on Feb. 14.
The much-needed updating of Lake County’s election equipment is set against a backdrop of uncertainty in who will be running the Registrar of Voters Office.
Longtime Registrar Diane Fridley retired and her expected successor, Deputy Registrar Maria Valadez – who had been appointed to serve as interim registrar upon Fridley’s retirement – took another job in Mendocino County, with their separate departures occurring in less than two months and resulting in the county losing nearly 70 years of experience and institutional knowledge.
County Administrative Officer Carol Huchingson, who the board appointed interim registrar after Valadez’s department, attempted to keep Valadez from being appointed on a permanent basis. Her tactic was an unsuccessful attempt in October to get the board to require a bachelor’s degree for the job.
After only being appointed on an interim basis in December, and with a better job offer with the county of Mendocino, Valadez left on Feb. 22.
With the board having given Huchingson control of the Human Resources Department last year – at her request – questions have been raised about the influence she will attempt to exert over the choice of a new registrar.
The job application period had been reopened through March 31 after a shorter previous recruitment yielded onto two qualified candidates, neither of which the board chose to hire, as Lake County News has reported.
Hart InterCivic representative explains new system
On Tuesday, Huchingson presented the equipment purchase to the Board of Supervisors, explaining her office worked with the Registrar of Voters on the request for proposals. She said Hart’s proposal was “considerably less” than the competing proposal, although the precise numbers have not been given in county documents or at meetings.
She said of Hart InterCivic’s proposal, “It is also the proposal that our outgoing registrar of voters staff preferred and thought was the best option for the county, and we very much value their opinion on that.”
Huchingson said that the county’s portion of the purchase is $275,252, with the remainder to be covered by the state. The county’s portion is to be paid out of one-time monies, a fund balance carryover from salary savings.
Later in the meeting, Deputy County Administrative Officer Stephen Carter clarified that $275,252 is the total purchase cost to be split by the county and state equally, so the county will pay less than $140,000.
At its Feb. 12 meeting, the Board of Supervisors had approved midyear budget adjustments that included $492,000 for the new voter equipment.
Karen Clakeley, Hart InterCivic’s director of sales and strategic accounts, spoke about the state-of-the-art equipment and explained how it works, emphasizing that it cannot be hacked, that attempts to tamper with it result in notifications and that it has a lifespan of 15 to 20 years.
She said Lake County has been a customer of Hart since 2006, and it was one of four counties in the state that has had a hybrid system that is a combination of the DFM Mark-A-Vote and Hart accessible units for the disabled.
“For me the most exciting thing for Lake County right now is you will be streamlining your elections procedures and processes,” she said, explaining that the county will now use a single system rather than having to be duplicative in its procedures.
“Elections are very process-oriented,” Clakeley said, noting that the state of California has certified certain procedures and processes that everyone must follow, and Lake County has had to do repetitive processes in its two systems.
Clakeley said the system’s components include an accessible marking device, the Verity Touch Writer, which will be at every voting location.
She said the county can be assured that the system meets not just current requirements but upcoming ones on the federal and state levels.
The Touch Writer device is “kind of an electronic pencil,” said Clakeley. “Any voter can have access to this device.”
With the state now requiring a shift to all paper ballots, the device – which creates paper ballots for every voter – will be a required element as well as having paper ballots for hand marking at all precincts and locations.
Clakeley, who is based in the Sacramento area, said Hart is based in Austin, and has been doing work in elections for more than 100 years. It started off printing ballots for Travis County, Texas, and is now serving 18 states. The Verity system is used in 11 states. It was the first system to be federally certified in 2015 and has been proven in presidential, gubernatorial and local races.
She said the system’s benefits are ease of use, performance, security and auditability.
Voter and public education will be important, and Clakeley said Hart will assist the county with that outreach as well as work with county leadership on how to speak to the media about the new election system.
Clakeley said the company will offer around-the-clock support not just during elections but year-round.
The county’s next election is May 7, a mail ballot for the Lakeport Fire Protection District’s Measure M fire tax.
Clakeley said the company will have a team of three people on site in the Lake County Registrar of Voters Office for that election to assist, coach, mentor and observe as county staff use the equipment for its first local election.
She said that election presents “kind of special circumstances,” an apparent reference to Lake County losing its two most senior registrar’s staffers in less than two months, leaving only part-time staff and staff pulled in from the County Administrative Office to cover on a temporary basis while the recruitment for the new registrar takes place.
Answering questions about new equipment
During a question and answer session with the board, Clakeley explained that the machinery is not networked on either the Internet or an intranet. It uses a secure proprietary USB drive and a lock and encrypted key to prevent tampering.
It also has a secure direct connection with a specific printer and secure encrypted cable. There is no bluetooth accessibility, she said.
She said nothing is stored on the device other than the ballots and election styles. The ballots will be centrally scanned together and the results can be automatically exported to the California Secretary of State’s Office, rather than requiring staff to retype results on an ongoing basis. Hart is the only company to offer that export capability, which is a huge time saver, she said.
“Voting is not the issue, it’s the count afterwards,” said Supervisor Rob Brown, explaining that Lake is always the last county to have its votes counted and finalized.
“You will have your results more quickly,” Clakeley said.
She explained that 10 days before the election, staff can begin scanning ballots, which will speed up the count. With its antiquated system, Lake County hasn’t been able to take advantage of such features that speed up the process.
Additionally, Clakeley said the county can encourage voters to turn in ballots early through education and outreach, which also can help it complete its election counts sooner.
During public comment, Cobb resident Lance Williams questioned the system’s security. “I don’t care how long it takes, I just want my vote to count.”
In response to such questions, Clakeley said, “The voting system is very secure.”
Supervisor Bruno Sabatier moved to approve the purchase, with Supervisor Moke Simon seconding and the board voting 5-0.
Innovative voting technology that combines the ease of a touchscreen with the assurance of a voter-verifiable printed vote record is now available from longtime election solution provider Hart InterCivic. The U.S. Election Assistance Commission (EAC) certified the latest release of the Verity® Voting system on March 15, clearing the way for jurisdictions seeking this flexible, secure option for replacing aging equipment.
Request a Verity Demo: 866-216-4278
“We are proud to bring the latest version of our flagship Verity Voting system to the marketplace. Our new Verity Duo device is just one of the innovations now available to meet jurisdictions’ demand for modern secure election technology,” said Phillip Braithwaite, President and CEO of Hart InterCivic, a U.S. company with more than 100 years of experience providing election solutions. “Verity has been serving voters across the U.S. since 2015, and we’ve have many requests for this additional capability.”
“Verity continues to meet high standards and surpasses the strenuous testing required by federal certification. Hart pioneered digital ballot scanning, and we seek always to provide forward-looking features that can be configured to meet the needs of any local jurisdiction,” he added. “We are committed to providing trustworthy innovations that make elections more secure, voter-friendly and easy to administer.”
Verity Duo is a single convenient device that allows voters to mark ballot choices on a touchscreen and print easy-to-review vote records on the integrated printer. The voter then inserts the printed vote record into the Verity Scan device. Verity Duo is more transparent than other “hybrid” devices that combine electronic ballot marking and paper vote casting – this solution from Hart produces an easy-to-read summary of the voter’s choices for verification, and the scanner counts votes directly from this summary, not from a bar code.
This arrangement is efficient and cost effective for counties. It is ideally suited for Early Voting and Vote Centers. Thousands of ballot styles can be easily managed electronically without the expense and complication of pre-printing paper ballots. That cost savings extends to the warehouse where fewer devices must be stored and transported to polling places. Centralized polling place management allows officials to easily open and close polls and to monitor voting devices from one console. The overall system is designed for voting privacy and independence –it is fully compliant with federal requirements for accessibility.
In addition to the Verity Duo, newly certified features assure that Verity can handle the highest volumes for large jurisdictions, up to 3,000 precincts for example.
The new Verity release supports 11 languages: English, Spanish, Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Khmer, Thai, Vietnamese, Tagalog, Ilocano and Hindi. Other improvements increase efficiencies related to preparation, vote counting and audits. A new serialized seal increases physical security on devices and workstations.
Hart has seen a flurry of Verity purchases recently as counties prepare for 2020 elections. Braithwaite expects the EAC certification to open doors to additional jurisdictions looking for a hybrid paper-trail option.
“Verity is a flexible election solution and will continue to provide the efficient, Hart-backed options that our customers value,” he said. “Listening and responding to our partners is a core value at Hart. We expect to serve for another 100 years.”
Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose tries to confuse the new machine by overvoting on a sample ballot. The machine caught the error.
Bill Rinehart / WVXU
Hamilton County’s Board of Elections is showing off a new voting system. The Hart InterCivic’s Verity Voting System is being hailed by the BOE director and Ohio’s secretary of state for its accessibility to those with physical limitations.
“That’s something my office puts a lot of focus on. There’s a gentleman in my office who’s in charge of making sure people of all different types are able to access voting regardless of their physical and mental abilities,” Secretary of State Frank LaRose says.
Most voters won’t notice a change, LaRose says. It’s still a paper ballot-based system with an optical scanner. “It’s a new generation. It’s much more state-of-the-art equipment. I think it’s going to be a better customer service experience for the voters to help them move through the process and make their voice heard.”
Voters with physical challenges will be able to vote with little assistance with the new machines.
Credit Bill Rinehart / WVXU
Ohio lawmakers approved $114 million to buy new election systems for counties statewide. The money was appropriated based on each county’s population. Hamilton County received $7.2 million and spent another $800,000 in local funds for the new system.
Hamilton County Elections Director Sherry Poland says the new system will debut in the May 2019 election.
Garfield County is moving forward with the most modern, secure voting technology available, the new Verity® Voting system from long-time election partner Hart InterCivic. Taking delivery in mid-March, Garfield officials made their choice based on a history of outstanding support and trustworthy equipment from Hart.
Request a Verity Demo: 866-216-4278
“Hart makes good products, and we’ve been happy working with them. The equipment is so reliable that I may go a whole year without needing to call with an issue,” said County Auditor Donna Deal, who has more than 30 years’ experience working with elections.
“When we decided it was time to replace our equipment from 2006, we asked around at last year’s election conference. It was a good way to hear what everyone was saying about the different vendors,” she said. “Hart gets good marks, plus they came through with pricing that meets the needs of a county our size.”
“We appreciate Garfield County’s confidence in Hart. They join a growing number of Verity partners in Washington and the Northwest,” said Phillip Braithwaite, President and CEO of Hart InterCivic, a U.S. company with more than 100 years of experience providing election solutions. “Hart pioneered digital ballot scanning, and Verity incorporates the most flexible, efficient high-speed scanning solution on the market.”
As Garfield officials weighed options for new voting technology, they worked with neighboring counties Asotin and Columbia. Ultimately, all three chose Verity to support their joint continuity of operations planning (COOP).
“We share resources when we can. Since Verity is designed so that no specific information lives on the computer, if something goes wrong, we can borrow a scanner from a neighbor to get our votes counted,” Deal said. “Having a backup makes good sense for all of us.”
Deal is taking delivery of the new Verity system this week and expects training to be scheduled soon. “We’ll likely train alongside Columbia and Asotin and then get individual help as needed. It’s another advantage of having neighboring counties adopt Verity at the same time.”
With their first election scheduled for August, Deal is looking forward to Verity’s efficient ballot design process using Verity Build. “It’s a very simple ballot, but I’m expecting that what used to take me two days will take only a few hours now,” she said.”
The County will also debut the Verity Touch Writer unit for ADA compliant accessible voting. The unit is a standalone ballot marking device with an audio tactile interface (ATI) that allows voters to generate a paper ballot marked with their selections. The ballot is counted following regular processing procedures for by-mail ballots.
Federally and state certified since 2015, Verity is in use in numerous jurisdictions throughout the U.S., and recently adopted by Washington’s Clark County, which processes more than 200,000 mail-in ballots over a typical election cycle.
Braithwaite expects more announcements throughout the year as additional jurisdictions adopt Verity to replace aging election technology.
When forward-looking city officials decided to replace the voting system they have used since 2008, they turned to trusted election partner Hart InterCivic to deliver the best option for taxpayers. The Verity® Voting system, the easiest to use, most secure election technology available, has arrived in Port Arthur. Testing and training are going well.
Request a Verity Demo: 866-216-4278
“We are in the preliminary stages of working with our new Verity system. My staff, election clerks and I are already seeing the amazing benefits internally and for the voting public,” said Sherri Bellard, City Secretary. “We anticipate very smooth and successful elections with Verity.”
Bellard’s confidence is based on Hart’s record of reliable technology and customer support.
“We have been with Hart since we began holding our elections in 2008. From the very first day Hart held our hands and helped to guide us through that chaotic time. To this day, they still treat us like members of the Hart family,” she said. “We consider ourselves blessed to have been in this partnership with Hart for going on 11 years.”
“The City of Port Arthur is making a wise decision in choosing Verity, and we look forward to supporting their election success for many years to come,” said Phillip Braithwaite, President and CEO of Hart InterCivic, an Austin-based company with more than 100 years of experience providing election solutions. “Verity is flexible and trustworthy. It is increasingly the go-to solution across Texas and the U.S.”
Verity is a federally and state certified system designed and built in Texas. More than half of the voters in the State cast their ballots on Hart’s election technology, and Verity is a natural next step for those ready to modernize.
“After ten years, it was time to replace our election equipment. I did not have to consider another vendor because Hart, once again, was on top of their business,” Bellard said.
“The detailed approach their team took to include everything I possibly needed in their BuyBoard [Purchasing Cooperative] contract further confirmed a depth of proficiency that I have come to know as Hart InterCivic,” she added.
Hart has been a long-time trusted solution provider in both Port Arthur and Jefferson County. The company’s top-rated customer support sets it apart from competitors. For the past eight years, more than 90 percent of customers have consistently rated Hart’s customer service as excellent or above average.
“There is no other answer for staying with Hart than their exceptional customer service. This also parlayed into our decision to move forward with Verity,” Bellard said.
The Verity system is built to be user-friendly, and features the electronic voting option Touch, which will replace the city’s first-generation electronic system from Hart. Features of Verity Touch that will improve the experiences of voters and poll workers include: modern and intuitive touchscreen, compact size and light weight of the devices, voter convenience features, and the accessible independence the system provides for voters in a variety of scenarios.
Port Arthur joins a growing number of Texas jurisdictions moving to Verity. Since the Texas Secretary of State certified the latest release of the system in late 2016, Hart has shipped more than 10,000 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 and national announcements soon.
BRYAN, Ohio, March 6, 2019 – Last week, election officials in Williams County took delivery of the most secure voting system technology available, Verity® Voting from Hart InterCivic. Budget friendly pricing, time-saving features and a long history of excellent customer service from Hart made Verity the right choice.
“Of course, we looked at other vendors, but Verity is easier to learn, and Hart is wonderful to work with,” said then-Director of Elections Katrena Ebersole (now Deputy Director). “The software is so user friendly. Plus everyone liked the price.”
“Williams County is making the right decision for their voters, and we appreciate their confidence in Verity and Hart,” said Phillip Braithwaite, President and CEO of Hart InterCivic, which has more than 100 years’ experience working with elections. “We’ve supported the County’s elections since 2006 and are proud to take this step forward with them.”
Last summer, County election stakeholders saw a demonstration of Verity. Poll workers, commissioners and election board members were able to see steps for setting up, scanning and opening and closing an election. They supported the Election Office’s choice. “It was the best decision for us. We were pleased,” Ebersole said.
Williams County will continue using paper ballots with Verity.
“Our community is used to the paper ballot, and we want to make this transition easy for our voters,” Ebersole said. She is planning a revolving open house at her office that will allow members of the community to take Verity for a test drive.
“I want everyone to feel comfortable, taking a look and asking questions,” she said.
Ebersole is looking forward to the cost savings and convenience of Verity Print, which prints on demand. “We’ll save money, and we’ll save time. We’ll only print the ballots we need, when we need them,” she said.
She also appreciates the easy-to-store briefcase design of Verity, and pointed out that the County will rely on Verity Touch Writer, an ADA-compliant paper ballot marking device that provides seamless accessibility and privacy. Verity is designed with a smaller footprint and collapsible ballot boxes for easier storage and transport.
Training will begin immediately after delivery so that Verity can be used for the County’s May election, in preparation for the larger November one. Ebersole, who has been in her position since mid-2018 is relieved to have Hart’s support throughout the transition.
“I am looking forward to working with Hart’s team. I’m pretty new, and they have a great reputation. They have already been so helpful,” she said. “It doesn’t matter how many times I call them. They are so patient and so responsive. We have a rapport – it’s valuable.”
Additional Ohio counties are considering Verity, and Braithwaite expects more announcements in the coming months.
“If you’re considering a new election system, give Hart a chance. Meet with their representative and let him help you. I can’t say it strongly enough – the customer service is top notch,” Ebersole said.
Within a week of approval for a new voting system in Tom Green County, the first unit was up and running in the election office, jump starting a full transition later this month. Commissioners voted January 29 to adopt the new Verity® Voting system from long-time election partner Hart InterCivic. A streamlined transition and time-saving features made Verity the right choice for the County.
Request a Verity Demo: 866-216-4278
“The transition to Verity should be easy, and that is something we are looking forward to,” said Election Administrator Vona Hudson. “Easy to learn and easy to use are Verity’s strengths. When voters realize it is touchscreen, too, that will be a very pleasant surprise.”
“We fell in love with Verity when we saw it being tested in Lubbock County (in 2017),” said Hudson. “Their workers were so excited about how easy it was. It’s a great testimony for the product, and I got excited, too. Anything that makes it better for our workers demands attention.”
“We appreciate Tom Green County’s confidence in Verity’s secure new technology. We’ve partnered with the County since 2005, and we look forward to our ongoing relationship,” said Phillip Braithwaite, President and CEO of Hart InterCivic, an Austin-based company with more than 100 years of experience providing election solutions. “Verity will serve the County well for many years.”
Hart arranged to immediately deliver a complete set of polling place equipment to the County Election Office so that elected officials, election workers and the public can quickly begin to “test drive” the new system.
“We’re blessed to have the Verity unit already in our office. At least two commissioners have been in to check it out, and they like it,” Hudson said, adding that one of the commissioners accompanied her staff to the Lubbock test session where he researched programming and other features. She and her staff also participated in acceptance testing in nearby Irion County, another positive experience.
Hudson expects to use the new system for the County’s May 4 election and anticipates saving time with updated ballot building and backup features. “The staff is eager to see it all in action. We can’t wait.”
Verity is the most up-to-date election technology available and is designed and built in Texas. More than half of the voters in Texas cast their ballots on Hart’s voting systems, and Verity is a natural next step for those ready to purchase a new system.
Verity’s lightweight, compact size is also a welcome feature for poll workers transporting it to Voting Centers such as Tom Green’s.
Hudson, who has worked in the election office since 2006, also notes Hart’s extraordinary customer service. “Hart has always been responsive to our County. That is such a plus, and it really helped sell the product.”
Tom Green County, with about 65,000 registered voters, joins a growing number of Texas jurisdictions moving to Verity. Since the Texas Secretary of State certified the latest release of the system in late 2016, Hart has shipped more than 10,000 Verity devices across the State. Federally certified in 2015, the trustworthy and efficient system is also in use in numerous counties throughout the U.S.
Braithwaite expects more Texas and national announcements in the near future.
When Klickitat County voters mark their next mail-in ballots, counting will be handled by the new Verity® Voting system from long-time election partner Hart InterCivic. Verity, gaining momentum among Washington locales, was chosen over other election systems for its security, reliability and technical support.
Request a Verity Demo: 866-216-4278
“We weighed a number of factors in replacing our older equipment. We saw demonstrations, went to the election conference and talked with other users. Verity’s features met our needs,” said County Auditor Brenda Sorensen, who has more than 40 years’ experience working in elections and is in her 13th year serving Klickitat County.
“Klickitat County has chosen the most efficient and trustworthy scanning system on the market, and we appreciate the County’s continued confidence in Hart,” said Phillip Braithwaite, President and CEO of Hart InterCivic, a U.S. company with more than 100 years of experience providing election solutions. “We are pleased to see another Washington county choose Verity. Asotin and Clark counties have recently switched to Verity as well,” he said.
Hart pioneered digital ballot scanning, and the company’s decade-plus experience with the technology has strongly influenced Verity’s design. Verity’s hardware and software features make by-mail voting secure and transparent. A main component of the U.S.-built system is Verity Central, with streamlined workflow, logical onscreen adjudication and no ballot pre-sorting required. The high-speed digital scanning and adjudication solution combines advanced software with Hart-integrated, enterprise-grade scanners from Canon. See Verity Central in action here.
“ADA accessibility and ease of programming for election staff were also important considerations,” Sorensen said. “We like Verity’s ease of use and security features. Hart has great customer service.”
Klickitat County will begin acceptance testing and training in late February and may vote using Verity as early as April if a special election is called. Otherwise, they expect to debut the system in August.
“We’re looking forward to continuing our journey with Hart. They are there whenever we need them, and customer service is excellent. Their technical support is everything we expect, and we are confident because of our history with them,” said Sorensen, who has worked with Hart in Klickitat County since 2007 and at another jurisdiction before then.
Election Administrator Brandie Sullivan agreed: “Hart’s customer support is amazing.”
Federally and state certified since 2015, Verity is in use in numerous jurisdictions throughout the U.S. Braithwaite expects more announcements as a growing number of counties choose Verity over other options.
Sorensen suggests that those counties considering new election systems look hard at security and election integrity features. “Check out customer support reviews, technical support reviews and usability features. Those are the factors we compared.”
Taking advantage of a strong local economy, Martin County is investing in a new voting system that will serve citizens for years to come. Officials voted to adopt the new Verity® Voting system from Hart InterCivic, based on its reputation for reliability and the company’s track record of excellent customer support.
Request a Verity Demo: 866-216-4278
“Hart has worked out so well here. Our existing equipment is reliable, and the support from Hart is awesome,” said Election Administrator Helen Floyd who has more than 25 years’ experience working with elections. Hart has partnered with Martin County since 2005, and the move to Verity comes at a time when oilfield activity in the Permian Basin area has been good for the County’s budget.
“We are fortunate to be in good financial shape, and the time was right to choose Verity. We are excited about an easy-to-use and easy-to-learn system, and I appreciate the help Hart has given us over the years. They are always right there with me,” Floyd said. “I call with any little question and they walk me through the answer. I’m on a first name basis with everyone on the team.”
“We love to hear Martin County praise customer service. Providing exceptional customer service is a core value at Hart,” said Phillip Braithwaite, President and CEO of Hart InterCivic, an Austin-based company with more than 100 years of experience providing election solutions. “By choosing Verity, they can count on trustworthy, flexible technology always backed by the best personal service.”
The new voting equipment is being delivered in Martin County early this month, Floyd is looking forward to the modern, secure touchscreen design. “It should be easier for everyone to use. I’m sure it will work for all levels,” she said, describing a range of users across many generations, with different technical skills.
Voter education and training for election workers will take place closer to Verity’s debut for the November election. “Hart will be here for training, and I want to stage a mock election. We’ll make sure everyone is comfortable with the new system,” Floyd said.
User friendly and secure, Verity is certified at the federal and state levels, and it is designed and built in Texas. More than half of the voters in the State cast their ballots on Hart’s election technology, and Verity is a natural next step for those ready to purchase a new system.
“If your county is looking at a new election system, I say get Verity,” Floyd said. “Not only is it very simple, but the support at Hart is so great. I’ll say that to anyone. I’m glad to stick with them.”
Martin County joins a growing number of Texas jurisdictions moving to Verity. Since the Texas Secretary of State certified the latest release of the system in late 2016, Hart has shipped more than 10,000 Verity devices across Texas. First federally certified in 2015, the secure and flexible system is also in use in numerous counties throughout the U.S.
Braithwaite expects more announcements this year as additional jurisdictions choose Verity.
As the newly elected Liberty County Clerk, Lee Chambers saw room for improvement in the County’s aging election system and began exploring better options soon after taking office. Her pursuit led the County to adopt the new Verity® Voting system from long-time election partner Hart InterCivic. Verity stood out above the competition in meeting Liberty County’s needs.
Request a Verity Demo: 866-216-4278
Chambers started with the list of verified vendors provided by the State of Texas and checked out their offerings online. Her team then contacted the vendors to ask detailed questions and receive pricing information.
“Almost from the start, the print-on-demand system by Hart InterCivic seemed tailor-made to our needs. It allows us to continue to use paper ballots, but eliminates the guessing and errors associated with pre-printed ballots,” she said. “The equipment has a high-tech efficiency that makes using paper ballots reasonable.”
“Thank you, Liberty County. You’ve chosen the easiest, most secure voting system on the market.” said Phillip Braithwaite, President and CEO of Hart InterCivic, an Austin-based company with more than 100 years of experience providing election solutions. “Verity will serve your county well for many years.”
First federally certified in 2015, Verity replaces a Hart system in use in Liberty County since 2005. Running for office gave Chambers to the opportunity to talk to voters about the election process and what changes they wanted. Of course, budget was a consideration.
“The Verity print-on-demand system has a cost effectiveness that made it easier to justify over the fully electronic systems,” Chambers said.
Verity will debut in the County for local elections on May 4, and Hart staff will be on-site this month to help with testing and training. “We are looking forward to conducting mock test elections with the new equipment by several groups across our county,” Chambers said.
Liberty County voters will cast their marked paper ballots with the easy-to-use Verity Scan digital scanner/tabulator.
Verity is designed and built in Texas where more than half of the voters cast their ballots on Hart’s election technology. Switching to Verity is a natural next step for those ready to purchase a new system.
During the competitive period, Hart’s team facilitated stakeholders’ decision-making by providing presentations and demonstrations for the County Election Board and Commissioners Court. “The people at Hart InterCivic were great to work with throughout the process,” Chambers said.
Liberty County joins a growing number of Texas jurisdictions moving to Verity. Since the Texas Secretary of State certified the latest release of the system in late 2016, Hart has shipped more than 10,000 Verity devices across the State. The trustworthy and efficient system is also in use in numerous counties throughout the U.S.
Braithwaite expects more Texas and national announcements in the near future.
Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose tries to confuse the new machine by overvoting on a sample ballot. The machine caught the error.Bill Rinehart / WVXU
