Candidates running for office this year received a crash course in election rules from Circuit Clerk Mike Butler at a candidate meeting last Tuesday in the Newton County Courthouse.
Butler, who called the meeting, said election commissioners go through several days of training. It was simply not possible to teach the candidates everything about the processes and laws that take place on election day in a 30-minute meeting, but those who attended would have a good understanding of what would happen on election day.
“We’re basically going to let you know the rules of the game before you play the game,” he said.
Newton County voters will be using new voting equipment in this year’s election, Butler said. Unlike the previous voting machines, which recorded votes using a touch screen, the new equipment takes a paper ballot.
When a ballot is inserted into the machine, it is scanned and deposited into a locked box inside the machine, he said. An electronic record of the vote is stored on a special thumb drive with the paper ballot being kept as backup.
“There’ll be a paper trail and an electronic record,” he said.
Newton County has a strong record of fair, error-free elections, Butler said, and these new voting machines will help the county continue that record.
“I really think this is going to go over really well,” he said. “It’s less computers than we’re using right now with the touch screens.”
In July, Butler said, the county will be undergoing LNA testing on the new equipment, a rigorous, 3-day process of testing to ensure the machines are counting every vote, catching errors and keeping an accurate record. The exact days of testing are still being determined, he said, but the process is open to the public and the candidates should they wish to observe.
As a reminder to the candidates, Butler said, no campaigning is allowed within 150 feet of a polling location once voting starts. That means, he said, no signs, no t-shirts and no political speeches.
This year, Decatur Treat Street will fall at the same time absentee voting is ongoing at the courthouse. Candidates will be expected to follow the rules and refrain from campaign activity during the event, he said.
“If you have signs, turn them upside down,” he said.
Poll watchers, individuals who observe at poll locations on a candidate’s behalf, will need to provide written notice to the poll workers stating who the are and which candidate they’re representing. Additionally, Butler said, poll watchers cannot wander around the polling place speaking to voters.
“They’ll be given a seat where they can observe,” he said.
Elections are a huge undertaking for the county, and the election commissioners, poll workers and voters take it very seriously, Butler said. This year, the new equipment and shear number of races make the election a breeding ground for rumors and accusations.
Should candidates or voters hear rumors of wrongdoing or mistakes, Butler said he asks people to call and ask before passing it on.
“When you hear rumors going around out there, call and find out the truth,” he said. “If I don’t know the answer to a question, I don’t mind calling the Secretary of State’s office to find out.”
Butler said he would make as much of the election process open to the public as legally possible and invited residents and candidates to come learn about the process, ask questions and address concerns. A full schedule or poll worker training, registration deadlines and other dates can be found at https://www.scribd.com/document/408916240/2019-Elections-Calendar.
