1 An Overview of Montgomery County’s New Voting System

2 Welcome to eSlate!

3 Why a New Voting System? Our old system has performed well, but… –it doesn’t meet the all the requirements of the Help America Vote Act passed in 2002, and –it doesn’t meet Americans with Disability Act or the Texas Secretary of State requirements.

4 Why eSlate? Election staff and 10-member, diverse, Election Equipment Task Force reviewed many different systems over a 2 month period and chose eSlate because it is: »Easy for voters »Easy for pollworkers »Accurate »Secure »Durable

5 What Will You See at the Polling Place? When you arrive to vote, you will sign in as always. You’ll see new voting booths. The election judge will give you a four- digit “Access Code.”

6 What’s Different About Voting? eSlates will be in voting booths. You may choose any open booth.

7 The Buttons Use the CAST BALLOT button to cast your ballot. Press HELP to get help. Use PREV to go to the previous page. Use NEXT to go to the next page. Turn the SELECT wheel to highlight your choices. Press ENTER to vote for a selected choice.

8 Select Your Language 1.Turn the SELECT wheel until the language you want is highlighted in red. 2.Press ENTER to make your selection. EnglishEspañol

9 Enter Your Access Code 1.Turn the SELECT wheel to highlight the first number of your Access Code. 2.Press ENTER to choose that number. 3. Repeat for all numbers of your Access Code. 4. When the last digit in your code has been entered, you will see the first page of your ballot. ACCESS CODE Código de accesso 4192 Date: Time: 15:42:21 Place: Mesa Elementary

10 Make Ballot Choices Alexander Hamilton Abraham Lincoln Council Member Alexander Hamilton Abraham Lincoln Council Member 1.Turn the SELECT wheel until your choice is highlighted in blue. 2.Press ENTER. The box to the left of your choice will turn red to show your vote. 3.The blue highlight bar will move to the next contest title. 4.Continue through the ballot until you have voted all the contests you wish to vote. 5.You may use the PREV or NEXT buttons at any time to move through the ballot.

11 How to Do a Write-in Candidate

12 Review Your Ballot After you have voted all the pages of the ballot, a Ballot Summary page appears, allowing you to review your selections. To change your vote, turn the SELECT wheel until the contest you want to change is highlighted, then press ENTER. You will return to that contest. You may use the PREV and NEXT buttons to review your ballot.

13 Cast Your Ballot When you have completely finished voting and reviewing your Ballot Summary page, press the CAST BALLOT button.

14 Cast Your Ballot Your vote has been recorded when you see the waving American Flag.

15 Battery Back-Up Jelly Switches Headphones Special Features Sip-and Puff Device

16  Use a BLUE or BLACK pen to completely fill in the Box beside your choice, as shown here.  Do not fill in more choices than allowed.  If you make a mistake, you may correct it by crossing out the incorrect choice with an X and marking your true choice.  You must sign and date the voter’s affidavit.  Make sure you mail your ballot in the envelope provided so it will be received no later than Election Day. Ballot Now, the Absentee By-mail System X

17 Introducing the eSlate October 24 – Nov. 4 --eSlate demo units will be in all early voting locations for those wanting a to take a “test drive” of the eSlate. November 8 – Constitutional Amendment Election – eSlate demo units will again be available in the 10 busiest polling places. December – February – eSlate demos will be given throughout Montgomery County with the help of trained volunteer presenters. February 21- March 3 – Early Voting for Primary Election. Voters will begin using the eSlate at all polling locations. March 7 – Primary Election Day.

18 Conclusion Montgomery County has a long history of successful, well-administered elections. Our new system will continue to build on that success. The eSlate system is easy-to-use, accurate, secure and accessible. Montgomery County is preceding the implementation of the new system with demonstrations throughout the county,giving interested voters a chance to take a test drive before the Primary Election in March.

19 For More Information Website Phone Upcoming Early Voting: February 21, 2006 Upcoming Early Voting: February 21, 2006