The tabulators that Pembroke will use to count ballots in the Sept. 1 state primary ran a test batch of 50 ballots at Town Hall on Monday, part of a public accuracy check the Town Clerk's office conducts before every election. Notice was posted 48 hours in advance so residents could observe. The same machines will be used in the Nov. 3 state election, which will be tested again in October.
The test covers every ballot style used in town: Republican and Democratic ballots for Precincts 1, 2, 4 and 5, which fall in the 6th Plymouth District represented by state Rep. Ken Sweezy, and for Precinct 3, which is in the 12th Plymouth District represented by state Rep. Kathy LaNatra. Results go to the Secretary of the Commonwealth's office in Boston, and the Town Clerk keeps a copy.
Town Clerk Andrea Cesarini told PCJ that the tabulation machines come from LHS Associates and function like high-speed scanners. They last roughly 10 to 12 years, so the current batch is approaching the end of their life cycle and will need to be put out to bid for replacement units in the coming years. LHS also supplies the poll pads, which have replaced the reams of paper that had been used to check in voters for elections and Town Meetings. The electronic pads contain voter names, street addresses and party affiliation. LHS does not have access to the voting ballots for Pembroke, other than the data for voter check-in for the election. "Nothing is connected to the internet, so we pre-load the voter information databases on the poll pads," Cesarini said. "The tabulators we use are just plugged in to keep the battery charged, but if the power went out, we could still use the tabulators." The Town Clerk is the only office that has access to the data following the election.
Historically, turnout for primary elections trends low because of the nature of contests in Massachusetts. Often, many primaries are not contested, which can cause voters to skip the polls. "About 3,000 people will vote for the primary election - 2,000 early voting, and 1,000 in person... We usually get around 3,500 people total turnout," Cesarini said. Pembroke has roughly 15,500 registered voters. Contested races and ballot questions can drive the number of voters who come to the polls.
Early in-person and mail-in voting ballots can be tabulated prior to Election Day, but it requires different steps than for ballots submitted on Election Day. These ballots are opened by one election worker, checked in, then compared to the voter list by another worker, and then scanned through on the tabulators. This process, like most of the election process, is open to the public. If a ballot jams or the machine won't accept it, it can be held and hand-counted at the end of the night - a rare occurrence.
Identification is not required in Pembroke, with some exceptions. Inactive voters, often those who did not return the annual census, are required to show something with their name and address, such as a utility bill, car registration or other mail. If a voter is voting for the first time, they will also need to show identification.
Voted paper ballots are stored at Town Hall for 22 months after an election, a federal retention standard that preserves them in case of a recount or other administrative review. Unused ballots are held 30 days, then shredded.
Cesarini said she wants the workings of the Town Clerk's office to be transparent and understood by the citizens. "Everything we do is open to the public. So if people have any questions, they can always come and observe any election events, they can always observe at the polls," she said. "At the end of the night, we do most of our reporting, we print out everything and people can see the results from our five precincts." The results are then posted on the town website, and the public is welcome at Town Hall to watch the night wrap up.
Early in-person voting runs Saturday, Aug. 22 through Friday, Aug. 28 at the Town Clerk's office. Hours vary by day; check the town's website before going. Saturday is also the last day to register to vote or change party affiliation. Unenrolled voters may take either the Democratic or Republican ballot in the primary and remain unenrolled afterward. On Sept. 1, polls are open at the Community Center from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.
