CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — Nueces is the 17th largest county in the state of Texas and for voters, having confidence in the voting process is important.
That means being able to let their choices be known in a way that is both secret and secure, something the county said is happening in this election.
In fact, Nueces County voters found something they had not seen in past elections -- new equipment using paper ballots.
It came as the result of a law passed in 2021 written to enhance election security, and Nueces County Clerk Kara Sands said that rolling the machines out in a smaller election was intentional.
“It gives voters a chance to get used to it, it gives poll workers a chance to get used to it, so they’re ready for the big election coming, because we have big ones coming," she said.
Voters insert a paper ballot into a machine and make their selections via touchscreen. They then take that paper ballot to another machine, where it is processed and recorded.
Why do it this way?
The Nueces County Elections Department says it produces a paper audit trail which improves not only accuracy and transparency, but also security.
“That’s what we want to do every election – regardless of the equipment,” Sands said. “We want to improve, and we want to make it better for voters. We want to make it easier for voters, more convenient for voters.”
With election integrity continuing to be a point of emphasis here in the state, Sands said that voters in Nueces County should not be worried.
“At the end of the day, the most important thing is people getting to a polling location and being able to cast their ballot,” Sands said. “That’s it. That’s what we want and that is what we’re all working toward.”
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