Touch-screen voting machines to make voting easy and private

Visually impaired voters of Citrus County, Florida, will be able to vote in private and without assistance. The AccuVote-TSX touch screen voting machines feature a standard telephone keypad with a raised indicator on the No. 5 key. A headset and detailed audio instructions make voting private.

A poll worker will be assigned to each machine to help the voters, if needed. The machines will be available at each polling location.

The voice-guidance feature enables blind and visually impaired voters to cast their votes in complete privacy by sequencing through the entire ballot using verbal prompts. It even allows voters to control the speed of the audio ballot. A magnification feature, which can be activated by the voter, also enables people with low vision to read the touch screen ballot and make selections.

Each machine operates independently. They are not accessible to wireless or wire-based computer systems, nor are they connected to phone lines or the Internet. A poll worker programmes a voter access card with the voter's precinct/party combination and then gives it to the voter. Voters will have a chance to review and change their choices before casting their ballot.

The machines meet the applicable requirements of the Federal Help America Vote Act. The system incorporates advanced security features. The logic and accuracy tests will be conducted on each machine before each election.