Election
BY PARKS KUGLE
County to use prenumbered ballots
A closer look
The advisory from the SOS addresses updated requirements relating to the certification of elec- tronic pollbook systems and the use of software to number ballots under the Texas Election Code. The move was prompted in part by reporting from The Texas Tribune that verified, in limited cases, private choices made in the voting booth could be identified using public records. Locally, concerns over ballot security have been raised and debated for at least a year. Marcia Watson, Williamson County executive director of Citizens Defending Freedom, a conser- vative grassroots organization, spoke about ballot secrecy at seven different Williamson County Commissioners Court meetings from Jan. 23-July 2. Watson said the move to consecutively num- bered, preprinted ballots is a step in the right direction toward improving the security and safety of the county’s election equipment. “The right to ballot secrecy is an integral part of our voting system. ... I want to thank the mem- bers of the public who have been reasonable and kind in providing input regarding our election processes,” Williamson County Judge Bill Gravell said in a statement.
The board’s vote brings Williamson County in line with Nelson’s updated guidelines, Collins Gilby said. County officials said the new ballots will come with a serial number preprinted on the back. Voters will still insert the ballot card into the voting machine and, once they’ve finished voting, place it into the DS200 ballot scanner and vote tabulation system, officials said. Though the final price of the ballots will be determined by their length, county officials estimated the new ballots will cost roughly $0.03 each. A ballot will be ordered for each of the nearly 438,000 registered voters.
The Williamson County Elections board voted unanimously to procure consecutively numbered, preprinted paper ballots during its July 29 meeting. The vote allows Williamson County Election Administrator Bridgette Escobedo to purchase the ballots ahead of the November election. It also discontinues the use of computerized random numbering of ballots in Williamson County. Williamson County Democratic Chair Kim Collins Gilby said Texas Secretary of State Jane Nelson essentially decertified the old process through an election advisory issued in June.
Registered voters in Williamson County The number of registered voters in Williamson County has grown each general election year. As of early September, there were nearly 438,000 people registered to vote in the November election.
437,988
500,000 400,000 300,000 200,000 100,000 0
2016 2018 2020
2022
2024
General election year
The cost of ballots Williamson County orders new ballots ahead of each election, although this year's will be preprinted. The cost of the ballot is determined by its length—how many races and candidates it includes.
Number of required ballots
437,988
What's next
Cost
$0.03 per ballot
County officials said the ballots would be ordered in early September, after the deadline for local entities to call for an election.
Approximate total
$13,140
SOURCES: TEXAS SECRETARY OF STATE, WILLIAMSON COUNTY/COMMUNITY IMPACT
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