GPS ballot-tracking
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From GPS tracking devices on boxes carrying ballots to counting centers with 24-hour livestreams and big windows for public viewing, officials nationwide are working to boost transparency — and confidence — in the Nov. 5 election, Axios' Erin Doherty reports.
- Why it matters: The moves — along with pre-election tours and open houses of the counting centers — are among officials' new tactics to try to convince voters elections are fair and secure.
The changes are an effort to counter conspiracy theories surrounding the election — even though granting voters more visibility into ballot counting could foster new conspiracy theories.
- And there are concerns over whether the efforts to promote transparency could be "weaponized by losing candidates," David Becker, executive director of the Center for Election Innovation and Research, said during a media briefing.
🔬 Zoom in: In Pinal County, Ariz., the state's fastest-growing county, the transparency reboot involves a new $32 million, 53,000-square-foot election headquarters that includes a "fishbowl" (photo above) where members of the public can have a 360-degree view of ballots being processed.
- Fulton County, Ga., one of several big swing-state counties that could decide the election, moved into a new hub last year with an open floor plan, allowing voters to "come in and observe," said Nadine Williams, director of registration and elections in Fulton.
🌴 In Palm Beach County, Fla., the elections office has a Virtual Elections Experience Tour, where voters can see how the process works, said Wendy Link, the county's supervisor of elections.
- Prince William County, Va., held open houses for its election center.
- In Douglas County, Colo., there's a 24/7 livestream of ballot drop boxes available to the public.
