By Angela Hatton
Frankfort, KY – The Kentucky State Board of Elections will report county election results tonight for the first time, thanks to widespread voting system changes. Seventy-five percent of counties are using E-scan systems, which are paper ballots that are digitally scanned, counted, and saved. Deputy Secretary of State Les Fugate says in 2008 only forty percent of counties had E-scan.
"We've received overwhelmingly positive response from the 42 counties that are using these systems for the first time. They're so easy for voters to understand and they vote much more quickly than an electronic voting machine. If you could think about it in your mind, you could have ten people voting on a piece of paper at the same time, while only one person can vote on a machine at the same time."
Fugate says the E-scan also provides a paper trail in the case of a recount. He says electronic voting machines are still certified for elections. Only four counties in western Kentucky haven't made the switch to the E-scan systems.