Early voting has been underway for nearly a week in Washoe County, with voters using new technology.
Ann Brandt, 61, the manager of the downtown Reno library voting center, said this is the first time locally using “poll pads,” which has streamlined the voter check-in process.
“It’s the newest technology, and it’s been fantastic so far,” Brandt said. She noted that voters have adapted well going all digital for voting and that the new poll pads have assisted the election workers in their jobs as well.
“There’s a bit of an adjustment for voters to get used to signing at an angle, but overall, it’s much smoother than the old paper system,” Brandt added.
When voters arrive at a vote center, they begin their voting journey at an intake station, using the poll pads to confirm their information and sign in. These provide real-time registration information so no time is wasted confirming valid registrations.
While voting, machines can adjusted for zooming in or changing the contrast on the screen, with audio options as well for the sight impaired.
Turnout has been steady since early voting started here last Saturday, the manager said. “We’ve had a line twice, but nothing major,” she said. “It’s a consistent flow of voters, but nothing compared to the busier sites.”
Brandt noted that the highest foot traffic is at vote centers in Spanish Springs, Northwest Reno, Sparks, and in the South Valleys.
Washoe County has an up to date wait-time tracker on its website which can be found here: https://www.washoecounty.gov/voters/2024-election/vote_centers.php
Early voting takes place until November 1st daily from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. at two dozen locations spread around the county.
Brandt started to work as an election worker in 2020, jumping into action after hearing about the lack of poll workers.
She’s since progressed from intake positions to now being the manager at the downtown library. “It’s actually much smoother processing voters with this system than when we used paper,” she said.
It’s a good transition into Election Day, Nov. 5, where it should be much busier.
“Poll workers go through specific training before the polls open, but once they’re here, they really learn on the job,” she said. “There’s a classroom element to the training, but nothing prepares you for actually working the floor on Election Day.”
Some sites like at the library require extra work.
“This is an unsecured site, so we have to break down the equipment at the end of each day, lock it up, and set it back up in the morning,” Brandt explained.
“Each day, we go through chain-of-custody paperwork to ensure everything has remained secure overnight. It’s a lot of work, but it’s all part of making sure the voting process runs the way we want it to.”
Safety and security remain a priority at the downtown site. Poll workers have been trained to act quickly in case of an emergency, not only for themselves and the voters, but for the ballots as well. “We’re trained to evacuate quickly if needed, and our priority would be to secure voting materials if time allows.”
Brandt added that she doubts they will ever have to act on their emergency procedures. “We’ve never had any real threats or safety issues at this location.”
In case of an emergency, Brandt mentioned their use of a Centurion emergency lanyard, a device that, with the click of a button, would dispatch a unit from the Washoe County Sheriff’s office immediately to their location. For more localized safety, there is a library security guard.
“We’re here to help people vote and make sure it’s as easy as possible,” Brandt concluded. “Every vote is important, especially in a place like Washoe County, and we’re doing everything we can to make sure the process goes smoothly from start to finish.”
