Voting process upgraded in county, state
Wanda English Burnett - Editor

With a goal of having "the best possible system in place by the next election," Secretary of State Todd Rokita has been making strides to upgrade the voting system in Indiana.

January 1, was the deadline for implementing Indiana's first statewide voter registration system (SVRS), powered by FirstTuesday*, a software developed by Quest Information Systems. The goal was realized November 28. Rokita was pleased to see Indiana well ahead of schedule saying it would give the state time to iron out any glitches in the system.

The goal is to link all 92 counties, having voter registration records accessible at the tip of a finger statewide. Rokita noted the new system will decrease fraud and costs as well. It is a streamlined effort to make sure all the votes are valid.

"As Indiana's chief election officer, I recognize how evolving technology affects the way we conduct our elections," Rokita said. He further noted, "We must both consider technological advances and protect the integrity of our process."

When exercising your right to vote in the Primary Election in May, you will need to take a form of photo dentification with you. This can be an Indiana Driver's license, Indiana State ID card, US passport or military ID.

Photo ID's can be obtained through the local Bureau of Motor Vehicle for no charge, according to Rokita.

With 55,000 polling places statewide, it takes more than 30,000 people who are responsible for the voting process. The new computerized program will make their jobs easier and hamper the efforts of those who try to vote in a fraudulent manner.

Taking the voting process to a higher level of integrity, Rokita has participated in panel discussions in Washington, DC, that address improving public participation and confidence in the election process. In a two-day program in December, the secretary of state presented recent Indiana reforms dealing with technology and education in elections.

Rokita visited Ripley County recently and noted that the Election Room is running smoothly here and under the supervision of Clerk Ginger Bradford and Election Deputy Marilyn Hunt, the process is looking good. He commended the county for having very few changes that needed to be made to make them HAVA (Help Americans Vote Act) compliant. "This shows a willingness on the clerk's part to make sure everyone could vote even before state mandates were in place," he noted.

Bradford has been actively working on making sure all the polling places in Ripley County meet the handicap accessible guidelines.

While the spring elections seem a ways off, officials have been working year 'round to make sure the process will go smooth. With 20 percent of the present voter list not accurate, Rokita said he wanted to make sure the new changes would alleviate that situation.

WANDA ENGLISH BURNETT PHOTO

Indiana's Secretary of State Todd Rokita stopped by the Ripley County Clerk's Office recently. Here, Election Deputy Marilyn Hunt, pulls up the new computerized system with Rokita looking on. He said he is pleased with the efforts of Ripley County's officials to make sure the election process goes smoothly in the spring.