13-3-208. Accessible voting technology. (1) The intent of this section is to:

(a) ensure that disabled electors have access to voting technology that allows the electors to cast ballots independently, privately, and securely;

(b) provide that votes cast using accessible voting technology are collected and counted in a manner that preserves secrecy; and

(c) comply with applicable federal and state law concerning accessibility for disabled electors.

(2) County election administrators shall ensure that at least one voter interface device is available at each polling place. Each voter interface device must be set up and located within the polling place in a manner that allows any elector using the device to cast a ballot independently and privately, including the provision of accommodations to provide a physical barrier or other method to ensure that the screen of the device is blocked from the view of other voters in the polling place.

(3) Subject to subsection (4):

(a) votes on a ballot produced by a voter interface device may be counted manually or using an automatic tabulating system;

(b) ballots counted manually must be counted in accordance with 13-15-206; and

(c) if ballots produced by a voter interface device cannot be processed through an automatic tabulator used in the county and the election administrator does not provide for the ballots to be counted manually, the election administrator may provide for the votes on each ballot produced by the device to be transcribed to the standard ballot form used in the precinct so that the ballots may be processed through an automatic tabulator used in the county.

(4) (a) If the voter interface device produces a ballot form that is distinguishable from the standard ballot form used in the precinct, the county election administrator shall take measures to protect the secrecy of the votes cast by an elector using the device.

(b) Measures to ensure secrecy may provide that votes on a ballot produced by the voter interface device are transcribed to the standard ballot form used in the precinct so that the ballots are indistinguishable from and counted with the other ballots.

(c) Measures must also include encouraging a portion of the nondisabled electors to use the device to cast their ballot.

(5) Any transcription of votes conducted pursuant to this section must be conducted in secret by at least three election officials in substantially the same manner as provided for in 13-13-246.

History: En. Sec. 1, Ch. 325, L. 2019.