Many of you probably noticed some new technology at your polling place on August 3rd.  This election featured the rollout of the new Electronic Pollbook to over 450 cities and townships.  This new program from the Bureau of Elections allows cities and townships to use an electronic pollbook.  This E-Pollbook software runs on laptop computers. 

According to Secretary of State Terri Lynn Land, "The program will speed up the process of receiving a ballot and will make it easier for election workers to close the polls at the end of the night. The result will be smoother and more streamlined elections."  The E-Pollbook works like a paper pollbook, which has been used in Michigan precincts for decades. But instead of manually checking a  paper pollbook, with E-Pollbook voters will have their driver's license or state identification card swiped electronically. The precinct worker is then able to verify eligibility to vote, assign a ballot, update voting history and create all the documentation required when the precinct closes. If the voter is in the wrong precinct, E-Pollbook can also identify the location of the voter's correct precinct.  This way, poll workers can route the person to the correct place for them to place their vote.

The Department of State is, using Federal funding, is purchasing 1,854 laptops for the E-Pollbook program. Staff from the Bureau of Elections will train county, city and township clerks.  In 2009, just 40 jurisdictions tested the product. This year, all municipalities were given the opportunity to participate and 458 cities and townships in 61 counties elected to use the new technology.  This is about 35% of all precincts in Michigan.

Voters without a Michigan driver's license or identification card can still vote. They can show any of the following forms of photo ID, as long as they are current: driver's license or personal identification card issued by another state, federal or state government issued photo identification, U.S. passport, military ID card with photo, student identification with photo from a high school or an accredited institution of higher education, such as a college or university, or tribal ID card with photo.  Also , voters without ID on them can still sign an affidavit attesting to this fact and then receive a ballot which will be counted like all others on Election Day.