When Kerr County officials decided to replace a voting system that had been in use since 2005, trusted partner Hart InterCivic stood head and shoulders above the competition. Two demos of the new Verity® Voting system, for both poll workers and commissioners, confirmed that Verity was the right choice. Commissioners voted unanimously to adopt Verity, the most up-to-date election technology available in the United States.
“We have been very pleased with Hart. Their customer service stands out,” said Nadene Alford, Chief Deputy/Election Coordinator. “It was time to go with new technology, so we scheduled demos of Verity. Once we saw Verity in action, and based on our relationship with Hart, we were sold. Our workers were pleased to see a new, easier setup and equipment that is modern overall.”
“Kerr County had a choice, and we appreciate their confidence in Hart and Verity,” said Phillip Braithwaite, President and CEO of Hart InterCivic, an Austin-based company with more than 100 years of experience providing election solutions. “We look forward to continuing our strong relationship with Kerr County.”
Verity is a federally and state certified system designed and built in Texas. More than half of the voters in the State cast their ballots on Hart’s voting systems, and Verity is a natural next step for those ready to purchase a new system. It has the flexibility to be used with paper, hybrid or electronic voting. Kerr County voters will continue using paper ballots, feeding marked ballots into Verity scanners. Verity Touch will provide accessibility features for any voters who need them.
“I’m excited to see how our voters with disabilities like Verity’s touchscreen option. It’s an improvement we appreciate,” said Alford, who has worked in the elections office for 19 years and with Kerr County for 34.
Hart has delivered the new equipment, and Alford is looking forward to Hart’s trainers arriving to work with election staff in January before the May 4 election debut. The new technology will be easy for workers to learn.
Alford expects a smooth transition with Hart, based on years of excellent customer support. “We have never had an issue that wasn’t addressed quickly,” she said.
Kerr County 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 8,300 Verity devices across the State. First federally certified in 2015, the secure and efficient system is also in use in numerous counties throughout the U.S.
Braithwaite expects more announcements throughout the new year as additional jurisdictions choose Verity to replace aging systems.