APPLETON, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) – The polls are getting a makeover for Appleton’s primary election. City Clerk Kami Lynch tells FOX 11 electronic “Badger Books” are being used to register and check-in voters.
“They are created by the state. There’s been a lot of security efforts that they have done and it’s just a faster method to get voters in and out of the polls on election day, and also it’s a lot more accurate.”
The city is switching to electronic poll books for efficiency. Lynch says the process for registration and check-in is the same as paper — and just as safe.
“It is secure, it’s not connected to the internet, it’s not connected to any other external medium.”
She says ultimately, the data will be stored with the state.
“We input it into the state WisVote voter management system. It’s stored on the units themselves and we can transfer that to a device to transfer it into, through encryption, to that state WisVote voter management system.”
Appleton’s 2019 budget put aside $124,000 for electronic poll books. Lynch says the electronic books will save both voters and workers time.
“This will save us probably weeks to a month of work, you just put it in and we still verify and review that everything is in there.”
Precincts will have paper binders on hand in case something happens to the electronic Badger Books.
Appleton’s primary election is Tuesday, February 18th.
You can find information on where to vote and who will be on your ballot at myvote.wi.gov.
