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Voting books are being replaced by iPads during upcoming election

Printed books containing the names of registered voters are being replaced by iPads during this fall's general election.

The electronic poll books have been used during early voting in the county clerk's office, says Pam Fowler, voter registration and election deputy in the clerk's office.

They're getting people through the line more quickly, she says, and she expects additional benefits when the iPads are put into use at polling places throughout the county on Tuesday, Nov. 4.

The overall procedure for voting remains unchanged. Voters present their photo identification, sign their names and proceed to the voting booth.

This year, though, voters must hand the ID to the clerk, not just display the card. The clerk will scan the ID card, which immediately brings up that voter's file on the screen of the electronic device. The voter signs his or her name on the iPad screen and receives a printed receipt. The entire process takes just 38 seconds, Fowler says.

The voter presents the receipt to the judge before entering the voting both.

In past years, election workers had to look up the voter's name in a printed book, which contained the names of only those voters living in that particular precinct.

With the paper books, if a voter showed up at the wrong polling place, an election worker had to call the county clerk's office in the courthouse. Someone in that office would have to look up the voter's record and determine where that person should be sent to vote.

With the electronic books, there's no longer any need to call the clerk's office. If a voter shows up at the wrong polling place and has an ID card scanned, a notification will immediately pop up directing the voter to the proper polling place.

In cases where one location serves as the polling place for several precincts, there will no longer be separate lines for each precinct, Fowler said, because records for all precincts will be accessible at each station.

Anyone unsure of the location of their polling place can find out online at www.indianavoters.com. Click "Find My Polling Place" and enter name, county and birth date. The voter can also see a preview of the ballot by selecting "Who's on Your Ballot?"

Information about the candidates has been published in the Huntington County TAB and remains accessible on the TAB's website, www.huntingtoncountytab.com, under the "Government and School Board" section.

Polling locations are:

• Clear Creek 1 and 2, Bippus Fire Station, 9236N-300W, Huntington.

• Huntington 1, 10 and 12A - Heritage Hall, Hier's Park, Huntington.

• Huntington 1A, 2 and 2A - Huntington County Courthouse, 201 N. Jefferson St., Huntington.

• Huntington 3 and 4 - College Park United Brethren Church, 1946 College Ave., Huntington.

• Huntington 5 and 5A - SS. Peter and Paul Catholic Church, 860 Cherry St., Huntington.

• Huntington 6 and 6A - Evangelical United Methodist Church, 1000 Flaxmill Rd., Huntington.

• Huntington 7 and 9 - St. Peter's First Community Church, 206 Etna Ave., Huntington.

• Huntington 7A and 8 - Miller's Merry Manor, 1500 Grant St., Huntington.

• Huntington 11 - Norwood Health and Rehabilitation, 3720N. Norwood Rd., Huntington.

• Huntington 11A and 12 - First Church of the Nazarene, 1555 Flaxmill Rd., Huntington.

• Jackson 1, 2, 3 and 4 - American Legion, 1122 N. Main St., Roanoke.

• Dallas 1 and 2 - Andrews Municipal Building, 66 N. Main St., Andrews.

• Union - Union Church, 3688E-400N, Huntington.

• Rock Creek - Markle Fire Department, 170 Sparks St., Markle.

• Lancaster, Polk, Wayne and Jefferson - Mt. Etna United Methodist Church, Ind.-124 and Ind.-9, Huntington.

• Warren - Bippus Community Building, 7957N-886W, Bippus.

• Salamonie 1 and 2 - Heritage Pointe, 801 Huntington Ave., Warren.

Polling places are open Tuesday, Nov. 4, from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m.