- Crystal M.
- Tuesday, September 22, 2020
In 2019, the state of South Carolina purchased new voting machines that replaced the former touch-screen only systems.
If you voted in local elections recently, then you’re probably already familiar with the new voting machine. If you're not so familiar, then the current voting experience may feel a little different or it's your first time voting! What's so new? The new voting machine now provides a paper trail for all casted votes.
A couple of years ago, a voter selected candidates on a screen, tapped submit at the end, then simply walked away from the machine when the voting process was completed. Now, a voter receives a blank paper ballot, inserts it into the machine, then the votes are recorded and printed on the ballot. To complete the process, the voter inserts the recorded votes into a machine that collects the final ballot.
Check out the video below from the City of Columbia’s YouTube channel that explains how to vote using the new machine in 5 steps:
- Insert your blank ballot.
- Make your selections.
- Review your selections.
- Print and review your ballot.
- Cast your ballot.
Expect to see the new machine if you choose to vote absentee in person or on election day, Tuesday, November 3rd. And be sure to check your sample ballot at scvotes.gov before you get to the machine to see the full roster of candidates that will appear on your ballot!