CONTACT:
Tim Box
Deputy Commissioner of Elections
(319) 892-5313
tim.box@linncounty.org

New Precinct Management Software to be used in Upcoming City Election

(CEDAR RAPIDS, IA – October 22, 2009)— County Auditor, Joel Miller, has announced that a new software program will be used in three Cedar Rapids polling places to assist precinct election officials during the November 3rd Regular City Election. Including Linn County, 44 counties plan to use the program for city elections.

The program, called “The Precinct Atlas” is an electronic poll book, which will help precinct officials effectively and consistently process voters on Election Day. This program will be used in the following Cedar Rapids precincts:

Council District  Precinct  Location                               Address
   3                    CR 07      Linn County Elections Depot     823-2nd St SW
   5                    CR 09      Linn County West Board Room  2500 Edgewood RD SW
   1                    CR 32      Northbrook Baptist Church        1700 Boyson Rd NE

The electronic poll book consists of a laptop computer with “The Precinct Atlas” software and an attached label printer. Before each election, voter registration information is loaded into this system from I-VOTERS, the statewide voter registration and election management system. The electronic poll book allows precinct election officials to quickly locate and process voters at the polling place using on-screen, step-by-step instructions.

During the November 2008 election, a few voters were charged with election misconduct because they registered on Election Day and voted although they were not eligible due to a felony conviction. The Precinct Atlas should identify felons BEFORE they are issued a ballot thereby avoiding the need to investigate complaints of election misconduct of this type and the related criminal proceedings.

County Auditor Miller said, “One instance of a candidate winning a majority vote in which voters subsequently found to be ineligible to vote had their votes counted would likely be sufficient cause to justify the purchase and deployment of Precinct Atlases in every precinct of Linn County. Let’s hope that our trial operation of Precinct Atlas proves it’s reliable enough to be deployed in every precinct and that we obtain sufficient funding in the next fiscal year to purchase Precinct Atlases for every precinct.”

The Precinct Atlas program was developed by Cerro Gordo County and was first used in a special election for the Mason City Community School District in February 2009. Since then, Secretary of State, Michael Mauro, has worked with Cerro Gordo County to make the software available for use in all Iowa counties.

The program was used successfully in more than 20 counties during the September 8 school elections.

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