What You Should Know About Election Supplies

Whether you are a local election official, county supervisor, or a voter, there are some things you should know about election supplies. Getting these supplies to the voting site in time for the election is important. It is also a good idea to make sure that you are sending them back to the board of elections in a secure manner. This includes ensuring that you have a chain of custody form and that you are keeping the items you are sending in a secure environment.
The Division of Elections will place orders for these supplies based on what municipalities have requested. In some cases, these election supplies are sent via certified mail or parcel post. Registrars should order enough for the next few months to ensure that they have plenty of ballots and registration cards for the upcoming election.

These election booths are delivered to the polling place before the scheduled voting time. Each precinct must be provided with ballots in an amount at least 10% more than the number of votes that are expected to be cast in that precinct. A few jurisdictions use hand-marked paper ballots, while others have electronic systems. A hybrid system involves using a separate optical scanner to tabulate ballots. Depending on the state, some states have statutory requirements that the machines in each polling place must be counted. In addition, some jurisdictions require that voters mark their ballots with an assistive device. 

These devices do not store choices directly into the computer memory, but instead print out a summary of what the voter selected.
Before an election, registrars and election judges are required to make sure that the polling place is in the same condition as when they arrived. In addition to keeping election supplies in a secure location, they are also required to keep them in the custody of the chief judge. It is also a criminal felony to intentionally deface or destroy these election supplies.

When it comes to printing ballots, some jurisdictions are able to purchase ballot on demand printers. These printers enable voters to print a ballot of their choice as long as they have the paper to do so. The printed ballot is then hand counted. Some jurisdictions also utilize ballot marking pens. These pens decrease the bleed-through of the paper ballot, allowing the ballot to be more readable. The pens are also useful for voters with disabilities.

Some jurisdictions use ballot marking pens to produce an electronic ballot, while other use a direct recording electronic (DRE) machine. A DRE does not generate a paper ballot, but it is equipped with a voter-verifiable paper audit trail. This trail is then used in a post-election audit to verify a voter's vote. It is also helpful in recounts. These election supplies are returned to the county board of elections in a secure manner. They may be sent by parcel mail, certified mail, or through an express service. When they are returned, the board of elections must complete a chain of custody form and return it with the items. Here is an alternative post that provides more information related to this topic: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Election.