Clarke County purchased new voting machines a few weeks ago, and they were delivered last Monday. The new machines now require paper ballots that will be scanned by the machine at the precinct.
“Our previous TSX machines were purchased by the State in 2005,” explained Circuit Clerk Sally Wedgeworth. “We received grant money from the State to cover over half the cost of the new machines along with HAVA money we receive from the State each year.”
Sally also wrote for and received a grant through Mississippi Homeland Security Office for cyber security. The grant saved the county $8,000 on servers that were required for use with the new voting machines.
The county’s senator, Jeff Tate, played a crucial role in making it possible to purchase the machines.
“Our Senator, Jeff Tate, made it his mission while in office this term to have the state bear some cost of the new voting machines, and it covered over half the cost,” continued Sally. “State Law is requiring by 2024 all voting will be by paper ballot and scanned.”
The senator has worked hard to make sure that the state has what it needs in regards to voting to make sure that the integrity of an election can’t be questioned.
“In 2020 there were a lot of questions about the election results in other states. I’m proud that Mississippi was not one of them,” declared Jeff Tate. “Still, my priority for the 2022 Session was to make sure that Mississippi would continue to have honest and fair elections. Senate Bill 2879 does just that by requiring all counties in Mississippi to have paper ballots.”
There will be a public viewing and use of machines in the circuit court room located in the Courthouse Oct 29, 2022, from 9 a.m. -1 p.m. for anyone who would like to come and see how easy it will be to vote this time.
