SLAYTON -- Minnesota Secretary of State Mary Kiffmeyer visited Slayton Manor Care Center on Tuesday to discuss voting options with residents and explain the new Auto Mark machine that will be brought to voters at the care center.
"I know many of you usually use absentee voting," she told the residents. "This year, we will be bringing the machine to you."
Kiffmeyer and some of her staff have been busy in July and August touring the state and speaking with people about the voting machines, which will be used for the first time during the Sept. 12 primary elections. On Monday and Tuesday, Kiffmeyer was all over southwest Minnesota, visiting nursing homes, health care centers and churches.
"We're targeting the largest group of people that need to use the machine," she said Tuesday. "These machines are designed for the 5 percent of the population that has disabilities."
The Auto Mark machines help individuals fill out a paper ballot by allowing voters to use touch-screen technology to mark their choices. It can read the ballot to voters that are visually impaired or even make the print on the ballot larger. After choices are made, the machine transfers those choices onto the paper ballot.
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"When you are all done marking the ballot, you put it in the ballot box like everyone else," Kiffmeyer told the residents. "These machines are designed for you."
All of Minnesota will be using a paper ballot, whether or not they use the Auto Mark machine.
"You can do it with a pencil or use the machine," Kiffmeyer explained. "Just give it a try."
The Auto Mark machine does not count the ballots, nor does it retain the information as people use the machine to vote.
"This machine has a terrible memory," she joked. "It doesn't remember what you did; it just marks the paper ballot."
Because many polling places may be changing, Kiffmeyer said a polling place finder is available on the Minnesota Secretary of State Web site at www.sos.state.mn.us .
"You can find out who the candidates are on the ballot and print a sample ballot," Kiffmeyer said.
Another feature of the Auto Mark is it will not mark a ballot incorrectly. During the primary election, many ballots are completed incorrectly and considered a ruined ballot. People have a tendency to cross parties, which cannot be done on the primary ballot.
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Kiffmeyer's office is also planning to do voter education with schools and has recently released an instructional video for first-time voters about what to expect at a polling place.
