A growing number of counties are removing the outside printers from touch screen voting machines because of problems that delay voting.
Madison County is now seeking to join 15 other counties that have received permission from the U.S. Department of Justice to detach the plastic modules. The printers are not used by election officials when counting votes but are included as a back-up record of votes cast.
“They aren’t working like they should and (are) causing more problems,” Madison County Election Commissioner Kakey Chaney said. Paper jams, which occur frequently, lead to machines temporarily being out of commission while poll workers fix them or call in outside technical support, Chaney said.
Another problem can arise if the paper is inserted incorrectly because the printer does not register, she added.Storing the 300-foot-long rolls of paper that come from each machine also can become an issue, she said. Removing the printers will reduce the amount of time needed to set up and close voting precincts on election day, Chaney said.
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