Within a week of approval for a new voting system in Tom Green County, the first unit was up and running in the election office, jump starting a full transition later this month. Commissioners voted January 29 to adopt the new Verity® Voting system from long-time election partner Hart InterCivic. A streamlined transition and time-saving features made Verity the right choice for the County.
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“The transition to Verity should be easy, and that is something we are looking forward to,” said Election Administrator Vona Hudson. “Easy to learn and easy to use are Verity’s strengths. When voters realize it is touchscreen, too, that will be a very pleasant surprise.”
“We fell in love with Verity when we saw it being tested in Lubbock County (in 2017),” said Hudson. “Their workers were so excited about how easy it was. It’s a great testimony for the product, and I got excited, too. Anything that makes it better for our workers demands attention.”
“We appreciate Tom Green County’s confidence in Verity’s secure new technology. We’ve partnered with the County since 2005, and we look forward to our ongoing relationship,” said Phillip Braithwaite, President and CEO of Hart InterCivic, an Austin-based company with more than 100 years of experience providing election solutions. “Verity will serve the County well for many years.”
Hart arranged to immediately deliver a complete set of polling place equipment to the County Election Office so that elected officials, election workers and the public can quickly begin to “test drive” the new system.
“We’re blessed to have the Verity unit already in our office. At least two commissioners have been in to check it out, and they like it,” Hudson said, adding that one of the commissioners accompanied her staff to the Lubbock test session where he researched programming and other features. She and her staff also participated in acceptance testing in nearby Irion County, another positive experience.
Hudson expects to use the new system for the County’s May 4 election and anticipates saving time with updated ballot building and backup features. “The staff is eager to see it all in action. We can’t wait.”
Verity is the most up-to-date election technology available and is designed and built in Texas. More than half of the voters in Texas cast their ballots on Hart’s voting systems, and Verity is a natural next step for those ready to purchase a new system.
Verity’s lightweight, compact size is also a welcome feature for poll workers transporting it to Voting Centers such as Tom Green’s.
Hudson, who has worked in the election office since 2006, also notes Hart’s extraordinary customer service. “Hart has always been responsive to our County. That is such a plus, and it really helped sell the product.”
Tom Green County, with about 65,000 registered voters, joins a growing number of Texas jurisdictions moving to Verity. Since the Texas Secretary of State certified the latest release of the system in late 2016, Hart has shipped more than 10,000 Verity devices across the State. Federally certified in 2015, the trustworthy and efficient system is also in use in numerous counties throughout the U.S.
Braithwaite expects more Texas and national announcements in the near future.
Learn more about Verity in Texas: https://www.hartintercivic.com/texas/