Latah County Elections
Optical Scan Voting
- Press Release (same information below)
- Voting Instructions (general)
- Voting Instructions for Voting Booths
- Voting Instructions: Sign
Press Release
Latah County has been a long time “Punch Card Device” Voting County. Voters have gone to the polls, received a punch card ballot and used the Punch Card Device to cast their choice of candidate or issue of each Election.
In 2002, United States Congress passed the Help America Vote Act. One part of this bill directs Secretaries of States to encourage Counties to update their Election Systems. The Congress developed a formula to give States dollars to help with this transition. These dollars have been allotted to States to be used to make improvements for Voters and improvements to voting systems.
Latah County, beginning with the 2008 Primary Election, will begin to use a different Voting System, the Oval Optical Scan Ballot Voting System. The Optical Scan Voting System is a paper ballot with ovals to be completed by the Voter. According to Latah County Clerk Susan Petersen, the change was made because our old punch card system of voting no longer has sufficient support for maintenance, parts or materials to conduct a reliable election. The Optical Scan Ballot System will provide voters with a system that is user friendly, easy to read, reliable and efficient.
Secretary of State, Ben Ysursa, has selected the Motto, “Exercise Your Right to Vote” for Idaho Elections. The Primary Election will take place on Tuesday, May 27, 2008.
In the State of Idaho, County Elections are administered by the County Clerk, Latah County Clerk is Susan R. Petersen. If you have questions or comments please forward those to her at: spetersen
; (208)883-2278; P.O. Box 8068, Moscow, Idaho.
Other Oval Optical Scan Ballot Counties in Idaho: Ada, Bannock, Blaine, Bonner, Cassia, Elmore, Fremont, Gem, Gooding, Kootenai, Lemhi, Madison, Payette, Teton, Valley.
Other Election Sites available for Latah County Electors: www.idahovotes.gov; www.latah.id.us/elections/. Elections Department: (208)883-2278.
Susan R. Petersen
Latah County Clerk/Auditor/Recorder
04/07/08
Elections Page