Park County commissioners decline to add electronic poll books

POWELL (WNE) — Park County will not debut new electronic poll books for the 2024 elections and will continue to only use paper records.

Earlier this month, the Park County Clerk’s office asked the county commissioners to provide nearly $60,000 to implement e-poll books. Elections staff using the electronic system in addition to the paper books would streamline the registration process on Election Day and make the voter rolls more secure, but the proposal drew some opposition.

At a March 19 meeting, Commissioner Scott Mangold suggested the county try out e-poll books at the county’s three largest polling locations. However, Mangold’s proposal to grant roughly $38,000 died for lack of a second and no other motion was made.

Secretary of State Chuck Gray sent an email to commissioners emphasizing that e-poll books were authorized by the Legislature before he took office.

"I have expressed numerous times to the county clerks my concerns with the e-poll book system leading to polling place consolidation and also the connectivity issues,” Gray said.

Clerk Colleen Renner said Gray had not reached out to her about his concerns with the e-poll books. As part of its pitch to commissioners, Renner’s elections staff said it could help prevent ineligible voters from casting ballots on Election Day.

First Deputy Clerk Hans Odde said that while it's rare, there have been incidents of felons voting in Park County. Fremont County caught three with the program in the 2022 general election, Odde said. He  said that while felons are caught eventually, it’s after their vote has been counted.

After Mangold’s motion died, Commissioner Scott Steward said he hoped the elections department continued to look into e-poll books.

“I think it’s worth continuing to pursue and investigate,” he said.

This story was published on March 26, 2024.