New system to be used in the 2024 elections

By Tom Hintgen

Otter Tail County Correspondent

County Auditor-Treasurer Wayne Stein, meeting with county board members on Jan. 23, expressed confidence in the new ExpressVote election equipment purchased by Otter Tail County.

ExpressVote was recently certified for use in Minnesota. Otter Tail County will begin usage of the ExpressVote equipment as its voter assist terminal beginning with the 2024 elections.

The ExpressVote replaces the AutoMark, which was the county’s voter assist terminal for several years. 

Stein says the ExpressVote will provide individuals with physical limitations the ability to vote independently. However, the ExpressVote can be used by any voter.

  “The ExpressVote system features touch screen and keypad capabilities, generating a paper ballot that is counted using the county’s existing tabulation equipment,” Stein said.

Additional features include the ability to zoom in or out, change the contrast and provide a headset for voters who need verbal instructions. 

“The ExpressVote does not replace the existing paper ballots or the county’s current tabulation equipment,” Stein said. “Paper ballots used with the DS200 tabulation equipment and paper ballots generated by the ExpressVote equipment are retained for a period of 22 months.”

The new equipment will be available this year in all 91 voting precincts in Otter Tail County. 

“The ExpressVote also allows voters to review their selections and verify that their votes were recorded accurately before submitting their ballots for tabulation in the polling place,” Stein said.

Election results from each polling location within Otter Tail County are delivered by election judges, on election night, to either the Otter Tail County Operations Center in the town of Ottertail or to the County Government Services Center in Fergus Falls. Results are then compiled and submitted to the Secretary of State’s Office in St. Paul.

“County auditors across the nation say that the paper-based ExpressVote voting system maintains the highest levels of physical and digital security controls,” Stein said.

They add that ExpressVote provides voter confidence with onscreen, printed and audio playback options for vote selection verification.