Vote! It's the right thing to do. Plus, America's 2010 voting systems are all technologified now. Say goodbye to punch cards and hanging chads and hello to optical scanners and touchscreens. Here's a state-by-state guide on how to use them.
You're registered and ready to rock. But first, you'll need to familiarize yourself with the two major voting systems in the US. Some states use Optical Scan, your standard fill in the oval (like those SAT's) or an arrow format. Others use what's known as Direct Recording Electronic or DRE (Westside!), AKA touchscreen voting systems for your HAVA and ADA accessibility satisfaction. To help make your voting day as smooth as possible, we've broken down how EVERY state in the US votes.
The Guide
Here's how to use our state-by-state guide:
1. Find your state in the list below to see which voting system will be used in your hood.
2. When you get to your state, click on the voting systems to find our step-by-step instructions on how to vote (it'll look like a link).
3. Learn the instructions
4. For completeness, watch the linked video demo
5. Go out and vote fool!
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State By State Guide
• Alabama
uses the ES&S AccuVote-OS optical scan system statewide and offers the ES&S AutoMARK for disabled voters.
[Official Alabama State Board of Elections]
• Alaska
has certified the AccuVote system for its elections, employing the AccuVote-OS and AccuVote-TSx (the touch screen version) across the state.
[Official Alaska State Board of Elections]
• Arizona
offers numerous systems depending on your county. You'll either have the ES&S AccuVote-OS, M100, DVS Insight as your optical scan choices and the AVC Edge or AccuVote-TSX if you require touch screen accessibility.
[Official Arizona State Board of Elections]
• Arkansas
voters will either fill in the ovals on their ES&S M100 ballots or touch-cast their iVotronic ballots.
[Official Arkansas State Board of Elections]
• California
, being one of the larger and more populous states, has many voting system options. Optical scan options include the M100, Hart Intercivic eScan, Inkavote, DVS Insight. Touch screens include the AVC Edge, AccuVote-TSX, and eSlate.
[Official California State Board of Elections]
• Colorado
M100, AccuVote-OS | eSlate, AVC Edge iVotronic, AccuVote-TSX,
IVS Inspire Vote-By-Phone
[Official Colorado State Board of Elections]
• Connecticut
AccuVote-OS | Phone-In
[Official Connicticut State Board of Elections]
• Delaware
ELECTronic 1242 | ELECTronic 1242
[Official Delaware State Board of Elections]
• Florida
M100 | AccuVote-TSX, iVotronic
[Official Florida State Board of Elections]
• Georgia
AccuVote-TSX & AccuVote-R6
[Official Georgia State Board of Elections]
• Hawaii
M100 | eSlate, AutoMARK
[Official Hawaii State Board of Elections]
• Idaho
M100, Optech IIIP Eagle | AutoMARK
[Official Idaho State Board of Elections]
• Illinois
M100, AccuVote-OS | AccuVote-TSX, eSlate
[Official Illinois State Board of Elections]
• Indiana
M100, Optech Eagle | AutoMARK, iVotronic, AccuVote-TSX
[Official Indiana State Board of Elections]
• Iowa
AccuVote-OS | AutoMARK
[Official Iowa State Board of Elections]
• Kansas
M100, AccuVote-OS | AutoMARK, iVotronic
[Official Kansas State Board of Elections]
• Kentucky
M100, AccuVote-OS | iVotronic, eSlate, AccuVote-TSX, ELECTronic 1242
[Official Kentucky State Board of Elections]
• Louisiana
AVC Advantage | AVC Advantage
[Official Louisiana State Board of Elections]
• Maine
AccuVote-OS | IVS Inspire Vote-By-Phone
[Official Maine State Board of Elections]
• Maryland
AccuVote-OS | AccuVote-TSX
[Official Maryland State Board of Elections]
• Massachusetts
AccuVote-OS | AutoMARK
[Official Massachusetts State Board of Elections]
• Michigan
AccuVote-OS, Optech Eagle | AutoMARK
[Official Michigan State Board of Elections]
• Minnesota
M100, AccuVote-OS, Optech Eagle | AutoMARK
[Official Minnesota State Board of Elections]
• Mississippi
AccuVote-TSX | AutoMARK (Desoto, Lee, Yalobusha counties), iVotronic (Rankin County), Winvote (Hinds County)
[Official Mississippi State Board of Elections]
• Missouri
AccuVote-OS, M100, InkaVote, Insight | AccuVote-TSX, AVS-1000, iVotronic, AVC Edge, AutoMARK
[Official Missouri State Board of Elections]
• Montana
M100 | AutoMARK
Hand-Count Counties: Carter, Daniels, Garfield, Golden Valley, Judith Basin, McCone, Meagher, Powder River, Prairie, Sweet Grass, Treasure, Wheatland
[Official Montana State Board of Elections]
• Nebraska
M100 | AutoMARK
[Official Nebraska State Board of Elections]
• Nevada
AVC Edge | AVC Edge
[Official Nevada State Board of Elections]
• New Hampshire
AccuVote-OS (for these precincts) | IVS Inspire Vote-By-Phone.
[Official New Hampshire State Board of Elections]
• New Jersey
M100 | iVotronic, AVC Edge
[Official New Jersey State Board of Elections]
• New Mexico
M100 | AutoMARK
[Official New Mexico State Board of Elections]
• New York
DS200 | AutoMARK, ImageCast
[Official New York State Board of Elections]
• North Carolina
M100 | AutoMARK, iVotronic
[Official North Carolina State Board of Elections]
• North Dakota
M100 | AutoMARK
[Official North Dakota State Board of Elections]
• Ohio
eScan, M100, DS200 | AccuVote-TSX, iVotronic, eSlate, AutoMARK
[Official Ohio State Board of Elections]
• Oklahoma
Optech Eagle | IVS Inspire Vote-By-Phone
[Official Oklahoma State Board of Elections]
• Oregon
In-Precinct Machine: None, Oregonians vote by mail. Instructions come with the voting packet
Disabled Access Machine: Disabled persons with Internet access can request their county clerk email them a ballot. Those without Internet access can use an Accessible Computer Station at their county courthouse to vote, also by email.
[Official Oregon State Board of Elections]
• Pennsylvania
eScan, M100 | iVotronic, eSlate, ELECTronic 1242, AccuVote-TSX, AutoMARK
[Official Pennsylvania State Board of Elections]
• Rhode Island
Optech Eagle | AutoMARK
[Official Rhode Island State Board of Elections]
• South Carolina
iVotronic | iVotronic
[Official South Carolina State Board of Elections]
• South Dakota
M100 | AutoMARK
[Official South Dakota State Board of Elections]
• Tennessee
AccuVote-OS | eSlate, iVotronic, AccuVote-TSX, Infinity
[Official Tennessee State Board of Elections]
• Texas
AccuVote-OS, M100, eScan | AccuVote-TSX, iVotronic, AutoMARK, eSlate
[Official Texas State Board of Elections]
• Utah
AccuVote-OS | AccuVote-TSX
[Official Utah State Board of Elections]
• Vermont
AccuVote-ES2000 (otherwise ballots are hand-counted) | AccuVote-TSX
[Official Vermont State Board of Elections]
• Virginia
AccuVote-OS, M100 | AccuVote-TSX, AVC Advantage, AVC Edge, eSlate, iVotronic, Patriot, Winvote
[Official Virginia State Board of Elections]
• Washington
In-Precinct Voting: None. Washington uses mail-in voting. Instruction for voting will come with your ballot package.
Disabled Access: eSlate & AVC Edge (contact your local election office for locations).
[Official Washington State Board of Elections]
• West Virginia
iVotronic | iVotronic
[Official West Virginia State Board of Elections]
• Wisconsin
Insight, Populex Digital Paper Ballot | AVC Edge, AccuVote-TSX, AutoMARK
[Official Wisconsin State Board of Elections]
• Wyoming
M100 | AutoMARK, AccuVote-TSX
[Official Wyoming State Board of Elections]
• Washington D.C.
M100 | iVotronic
[Official Washington D.C. Board of Elections]
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The Voting Systems
ES&S
(Electric Systems & Software, formerly Diebold)
AccuVote-OS
(Optical Scan)
1. After registering at the check-in table, take you ballot from the poll worker to the voting booth.
2. Make your selections by completely filling in oval next to the candidate's name with the marking-device (read: pen) provided. Make sure not to over-vote.
3. For write in candidates, fill in the oval next to Write-in and write the candidate's name there.
4. Review your selections for accuracy and completeness; you can ask a poll worker for a new ballot if you make a mistake.
5. Feed your ballot into the Optical Scanner/Tabulator to cast your vote. If you have mis-voted, the machine will return the ballot for review.
Video Demo
AccuVote-TSX
(DRE)
1. Insert your Voter Access Card into the machine.
2. Select candidates by touching their names or the adjacent box, touch again to deselect. To vote for a write-in candidate, touch the Write-In line - a keyboard will appear. Type in the name of the candidate, touch the Record Write-In button to continue.
3. Use the Next and Back buttons to navigate if your ballot is more than one page.
4. Review your choices on the Summary screen, touch Cast Ballot to cast your vote.
5. Return your Voter Access Card to a precinct official when finished.
Video Demo
M100/110/150
(Optical Scan)
1. After registration, take you ballot from the poll worker to the voting booth.
2. Make your selections by completely filling in oval next to the candidate's name with the marking-device (read: pen) provided. Make sure not to over-vote.
3. For write in candidates, fill in the oval next to Write-in and write the candidate's name there.
4. Review your selections for accuracy and completeness; you can ask a poll worker for a new ballot if you make a mistake.
5. Feed your ballot into the Optical Scanner/Tabulator to cast your vote. The system will notify you if you have over-voted in any race. If you have, press the Return button and ask a poll worker for a new ballot. Otherwise, hit the Accept button to cast your ballot anyway (though your vote for the contested race may not be cast).
Video Demo
DS200
(Optical Scan)
1. After registration, take you ballot from the poll worker to the voting booth.
2. Make your selections by completely filling in oval next to the candidate's name with the marking-device (read: pen) provided. Make sure not to over-vote.
3. For write in candidates, fill in the oval next to Write-in and write the candidate's name there.
4. Review your selections for accuracy and completeness; you can ask a poll worker for a new ballot if you make a mistake.
5. Feed your ballot into the Optical Scanner/Tabulator to cast your vote. The system will notify you if you have over-voted in any race. If you have, press the Return button and ask a poll worker for a new ballot. Otherwise, hit the Accept button to cast your ballot anyway (though your vote for the contested race may not be cast).
Video Demo
iVotronic
(DRE)
1. Insert your Voter Access Card into the machine.
2. Select candidates by touching their names or the adjacent box, touch again to deselect. To vote for a write-in candidate, touch the Write-In line - a keyboard will appear. Type in the name of the candidate, touch the Record Write-In button to continue.
3. Use the Next and Back buttons to navigate if your ballot is more than one page.
4. Review your choices on the Summary screen, touch the VOTE button to cast your vote.
5. Return your Voter Access Card to a precinct official when finished.
Video Demo
Inkavote
(Optical Scan)
1. Insert your ballot into the Inkavote recorder, placing the ballot holes over the two top posts.
2. Use the Inkavote Marker to select candidates.
3. When done choosing, check the ballot to ensure that ovals on the ballot were marked.
4. Insert your ballot into the Inkavote scanner. If the ballot was filled out improperly, the system will return the ballot and print a slip explaining the problem.
Video Demo
AutoMARK
(Optical Scan)
1. Insert your ballot into the machine. (NOTE: It make take up to 4 minutes for the ballot to display, a status bar will let you know how it's going).
2. Select your language using the touchscreen.
3. Review the instructions (video and audio options available), hit Next to proceed to the ballot.
4. Make your candidate selections. Select candidates by touching their names, touch again to deselect. To vote for a write-in candidate, touch the Write-In line - a keyboard will appear. Type in the name of the candidate and touch the Record Write-In button to continue.
5. Use the Next and Back buttons to navigate if your ballot is more than one page long.
6. Once you've reviewed your choices, touch the Mark Ballot button.
7. When the ballot has been marked and returned to you, feed it into the precinct's Optical Scanner/Tabulator to cast your vote.
Accessibility Features (details in video demo below):
- Sip and Puff input
- Paddle Device input
- Audio Prompts
- Head Pointer input
Video Demo
Dominion Voting Systems
(formerly Sequoia)
AVC Edge
(DRE)
1. Insert your Voter Access Card into the machine.
2. Select candidates by touching their names or the adjacent box, touch again to deselect. To vote for a write-in candidate, touch the Write-In line - a keyboard will appear. Type in the name of the candidate, touch the Record Write-In button to continue.
3. Use the Next and Back buttons to navigate if your ballot is more than one page.
4. Review your choices on the Summary screen, touch Cast Ballot to cast your vote.
5. Return your Voter Access Card to a precinct official when finished.
Video Demo
AVC Advantage
1. After registering, take your voting ticket (a colored-by-party piece of paper with two identical but unique numbers).
2. Hand your voting ticket to the poll-worker at the Advantage booth. The poll-worker will tear the voting ticket in half (hence the two identical numbers), hand back one half to you and use the other to determine the appropriate ballot (based on party affiliation) to display to the voter via a control panel on the back of the unit.
3. After verifying that you've received the correct ballot (match your ticket color against the one in the lower-right corner of the screen).
4. Make your candidate selections by pressing the black arrow next to each choice, press the arrow again to deselect. The blinking light above a race means you still have voting to do.
5. When you've made your selections, press the Cast Vote button. Do not push this button early! You likely will not be able to recast your vote!
Video Demo
ImageCast
(Optical Scan)
1. After registration, take you ballot from the poll worker head over to the voting booth.
2. Make your selections by completely filling in the oval next to the candidate's name with the pen provided. Make sure not to over-vote in any races.
3. For Write-in candidates, fill in the oval next to Write-in and write the candidate's name on the line provided.
4. Review your selections for accuracy and completeness; you can ask a poll worker for a new ballot if you make a mistake.
5. Feed your ballot into the Optical Scanner/Tabulator to cast your vote. If you have mis-voted, the machine will return the ballot for review.
Accessibility Features (details in demo video below)
- Audio Tactile Interface
- Paddle Device input
- Sip and Puff input
Video Demo
Optech Systems - III, IIIP Eagle, & Insight
(Optical Scan)
1. After registration, take you ballot from the poll worker to the voting booth.
2. Make your selections by completely filling in oval next to the candidate's name with the marking-device (read: pen) provided. Make sure not to over-vote.
3. For write in candidates, fill in the oval next to Write-in and write the candidate's name there.
4. Review your selections for accuracy and completeness; you can ask a poll worker for a new ballot if you make a mistake.
5. Feed your ballot into the Optical Scanner/Tabulator to cast your vote. The system will notify you if you have over-voted in any race.
Video Demo
Accupoll
AVS-1000
(DRE)
1. After you check in and receive your GoVote Key, insert it into the machine.
2. Select candidates by touching their names or the adjacent box, touch again to deselect. To vote for a write-in candidate, touch the Write-In line - a keyboard will appear. Type in the name of the candidate, touch the Record Write-In button to continue.
3. Use the Next and Back buttons to navigate if your ballot is more than one page.
4. Once you have made your selections, the system will print a "proof of vote." Check it for accuracy.
5. If everything is correct, drop the "proof of vote" in a ballot box and return your GoVote key to a precinct official.
Guardian Voting Systems
ELECTronic 1242
(DRE)
1. After registering, a poll worker will select the proper ballot for you to use from a panel on the back of the machine (your ballot depends on your political party).
2. Select candidates by touching their names, touch again to deselect. To vote for a write-in candidate, touch the Write-In line - a keyboard will appear. Type in the name of the candidate, touch the Record Write-In button to continue. NOTE: Only the races you are allowed to vote in will be activated, flashing lights on the left side of the ballot indicate races that still need your vote.
3. Review your choices on the Summary screen, touch the big VOTE button to cast your ballot. DO NOT push the VOTE button until you're done voting; you only get one chance.
Video Demo: N/A
Microvote
Infinity
(DRE)
1. Insert your Voter Access Card into the machine.
2. Select candidates by touching their names or the adjacent box, touch again to deselect. To vote for a write-in candidate, touch the Write-In line - a keyboard will appear. Type in the name of the candidate, touch the Record Write-In button to continue.
3. Use the Next and Back buttons to navigate if your ballot is more than one page.
4. Review your choices on the Summary screen, touch Cast Ballot to cast your vote.
5. Return your Voter Access Card to a precinct official when finished.
Accessibility Features (details in demo video below):
- Detachable for seated access
- Audio Prompts
Video Demo N/A
Hart Intercivic
eSlate
(DRE)
1. Select your language using the Wheel to move the highlight to proper one and push Enter.
2. Use the Wheel to input the access code given to you when you registered. This access code can only be used once.
3. Select candidates by highlighting their names, and using the enter key to make a selection. Undo a selection by pressing enter again. To vote for a write-in candidate, touch the Write-In line - a keyboard will appear. Type in the name of the candidate using the Wheel, touch the Record Write-In button to continue.
4. Review your choices on the Review screen, touch Record Ballot to cast your vote.
Accessibility Features (details in demo video below):
- Audio Prompts
- Paddle input
- Sip ‘n Puff input
- detachable for seated access
Video Demo
eScan
(Optical Scan)
1. After registration, take you ballot from the poll worker to the voting booth.
2. Make your selections by completely filling in oval next to the candidate's name with the pen provided. Make sure not to over-vote.
3. For write in candidates, fill in the oval next to Write-in and write the candidate's name there.
4. Review your selections for accuracy and completeness; you can ask a poll worker for a new ballot if you make a mistake.
5. Feed your ballot into the Optical Scanner/Tabulator to cast your vote. If you have mis-voted, the machine will return the ballot for review.
Video Demo
Election Services Online
WINVOTE
(DRE)
1. Touch the "Click Here to Start" button on the welcome screen.
2. Select candidates by touching their names or the adjacent box, touch again to deselect. To vote for a write-in candidate, touch the Write-In line - a keyboard will appear. Type in the name of the candidate, touch the Record Write-In button to continue.
3. Review your selections at the Summary screen. Touch the name of the race to change your selections. Otherwise touch the red Next button.
4. Touch the big red button that says VOTE.
Video Demo: N/A
Unilect Corporation
Patriot
(DRE)
1. After checking in, go to the voting booth. Your ballot should be already available on-screen, touch anywhere to begin.
2. Select candidates by touching their names or the adjacent box, touch again to deselect. To vote for a write-in candidate, touch the Write-In line - a keyboard will appear. Type in the name of the candidate, touch the Record Write-In button to continue.
3. Touch the Review Choices button at the top of the screen after you finish making your selections to go to the summary screen. There, review you choices and, when satisfied, touch the Record Ballot Now button.
Video Demo
Populex
Digital Paper Ballot
(Paper)
1. Insert your ballot into the top of the machine.
2. Use the provided stylus to make your selections on the screen. You cannot over-vote and the system confirms any under-votes.
3. Once you are done, the machine will return the ballot and print a bar code and "corresponding ‘punch' numbers which contain the voter's selections." Turn in the ballot to a poll-worker.
Video Demo: N/A
If you have any questions regarding voting in your state, please contact your local elections board through the links provided above.