Voting Systems in West Virginia
Five different methods of voting are
currently authorized, and over the past ten years counties have been
gradually moving to new systems. Use the links or scroll down to learn more about the five systems and
which counties now use those systems on election day. Several counties are currently considering or working on conversion to a new system,
as those changes occur, this page will be updated.
Optical Scan
Paper
AutoMark
Direct Recording With
Paper Trail
Optical
Scan Ballots
Used in:
Berkeley
Hampshire
Mineral
Grant
Hardy
Tucker
Jefferson
Pendleton
Harrison
Lewis
Upshur
Gilmer
Webster
Clay
Nicholas
Fayette
Kanawha
Putnam
McDowell
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An optical scan ballot is a specially designed paper ballot which
is marked by the voter with a special pencil, then tallied by a
computer "reader". The layout is very similar to the standardized
tests given in school, the voter darkens an oval next to a
candidate’s name in order to enter a vote.
With the help of HAVA all of the precincts in these counties will
also have a HAVA Compliant Direct Recording unit with paper trail.
These units are equipped with an audio ballot available along with
braille buttons for use in maneuvering through the ballot and making
selections. These units will enable voters who have visual
impairments to vote unassisted for the first time.
In the 2000 General Election, the optical scan system was the most
popular voting system, adopted by 28 counties and used by more that
270,000 voters in that election, about 41% of the total who voted.
We now have 19 counties utilizing the Optical Scan ballot.
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Paper Ballots
Used in:
Braxton
Wyoming
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Paper Ballots are still marked with an "x" to select
the preferred candidate and then counted at the polling place by a team
of five election officials called a "Counting Board".
With the help of HAVA all of the precincts in these counties will also
have a HAVA Complaint Direct Recording unit with a paper trail. These
units are equipped with an audio ballot along with braille buttons for
use in maneuvering through the ballot and making selects. These units
will enable voters who have a visual impairment to vote unassisted for
the first time.
Many counties with the assistance from HAVA have moved to electronic
systems. 
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AutoMARK
Used in:
Lewis
Jefferson
Kanawha
Putnam (for early voting) |
The AutoMARK was an option given to the counties in
order to meet their obligations under the Help America Vote Act. Three
counties chose this option as their means of compliance. One county
decided to utilize this voting system for early voting.
This voting system actually uses the Optical Scan ballot. The voter
inserts the ballot into the machine and uses the AutoMARK touch screen
to make his/her choices, when the voter is finished the unit then marks
the ballot for the voter and the voter retrieves their ballot and places
it in a ballot box.Voters in these counties will also have the option
of utilizing an optical scan ballot. An Optical Scan Ballot is a
specially designed paper ballot which is marked by the voter with a
special pencil, then tallied by a computer "reader". The layout is very
similar to the standardized tests given in school, the voter darkens an
oval next to a candidate’s name in order to enter a vote.
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Direct Recording
with Paper Trail
Used in:
Hancock
Brooke
Ohio
Marshall
Wetzel
Monongalia
Morgan
Marion
Preston
Taylor
Barbour
Randolph
Pocahontas
Greenbrier
Monroe
Summers
Raleigh
Mercer
Boone
Logan
Mingo
Lincoln
Wayne
Cabell
Mason
Jackson
Roane
Calhoun
Wirt
Wood
Ritchie
Doddridge
Pleasants
Tyler |
The Help America Vote Act required that all voting precincts have
one visually impaired accessible voting booth. This important act
makes it possible for a visually impaired voter to vote in privacy
for the first time by providing an audio ballot. The voter then
makes his/her choices using by pressing a specific braille button.
Thirty-three counties in West Virginia decided to replace their
existing voting method with the iVotronic Touch screen with Paper
Trail. Therefore, not only will each precinct have a HAVA Compliant
voting terminal but it will also have voting terminals that are
similar to the HAVA Compliant terminals – these voting terminals are
very similar to the HAVA Compliant system but with one difference –
no audio ballot.
The iVotronic allows the voter to select a candidate or issue by
"touching" the screen. The technology is similar to what is used in
an ATM. The system then prints the selections on the attached
printer for review by the voter. Each machine is equipped with
specific instructions to guide the voter through the voting process.
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