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On Tuesday, Jan. 28, the Hays County Commissioners Court unanimously approved a resolution supporting the Countywide Polling Place Program and using electronic poll books in future elections.
The program allows voters to cast their ballots at a location of their choice on Election Day.
According to Election Administrator Jennifer Doinoff, Hays County has been participating in the Countywide Polling Place Program since 2019, and approximately 80% of the state’s voters cast ballots in the program.
“If [voters] commute from out of town, they can stop and vote on their way home without the risk of being too late to vote in their home precincts,” Doinoff said, noting that vote centers have become valuable in emergency situations.
When natural disasters and emergency management issues arise during voting, polling locations around the state are displaced, rendering precinct-based voting unsuitable due to the limited number of public buildings in each precinct.
Further, the data show that since implementing the program, the number of voting centers has increased voter turnout and reduced the number of provisional ballots for Hays County voters.
Additionally, voters with disabilities can vote at a center that best fits their needs.
The resolution also supports the use of electronic poll books, as their elimination would limit transparency and the ability for voters, parties and candidates to perform their own audit and reconciliation during the election.
“The Commissioners Court of Hays County supports the use of Countywide Polling and Electronic Poll Books and believes that preserving these valuable assets provides the best opportunity for flexibility and accessibility to our voting public,” the resolution stated.
“It would be mass confusion to get rid of this program in Texas, and getting rid of it would be difficult to explain to the citizens,” Doinoff added. “It’s a typical definition of, ‘If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.’” To read the full resolution, visit www.hayscountytx. gov.
