New voting machines in El Paso could lead to some delays in the upcoming May elections. County officials are letting you have a chance right now to get a test run and be better prepared.
The El Paso County Elections Department introduced new election equipment for voters to use this May. The new system allows voters to have a paper ballot, mark their choices, review their ballot and then cast it by scanning the paper into a ballot box.
“I have experience with technology and everything, and I had a hard time understanding the old ones. So I think they’re better for normal people who don’t use computers or anything like that on a daily basis,“ Voter Melissa Cano said.
There may be an added step to this process, but officials say the whole reason for these demonstrations is to get voters better prepared for the upcoming elections.
“Everyone always talks about the big election in 2020, and we understand we’re going to see much longer lines,“ El Paso County Elections Administrator Lisa Wise told KTSM, “We’re going to see much longer waits around that time and that’s why we want to bring it out in 2019. So that voters get familiar with it and when there are more people voting, they’re able to move through quicker because they’re more familiar with it.“
These machines were first certified in 2017. In late 2018, the funding was secured to purchase the machines with 2012 quality of life bond money.
There’s a total of 17 demonstrations throughout the county where you can get a test run of the new voting equipment.
If you missed the first date on Wednesday, you still have some time.
Here are the following locations and times:
| Wednesday, March 27, 2019 | Laura Bush & Jenna Welch Library, TBD | 6701 S. Desert Blvd., El Paso, TX 79932 | 8:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. |
| Wednesday, March 27, 2019 | Officer David Ortiz Recreation Center, Room 2 | 563 N. Carolina Dr., El Paso, TX 79915 | 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. |
| Wednesday, March 27, 2019 | Jose Cisneros Library, Lobby | 1300 Hawkins Blvd., El Paso, TX 79925 | 2:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. |
| Thursday, March 28, 2019 | El Paso County Courthouse, 3rd Floor, Back Atrium | 500 E. San Antonio Ave., El Paso, TX 79901 | 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. |
| Thursday, March 28, 2019 | Eastside Annex, Community Room | 2350 George Dieter Dr., El Paso, TX 79936 | 2:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. |
| Friday, March 29, 2019 | Bowling Family YMCA, Old Lobby | 5509 Will Ruth Ave., El Paso, TX 79924 | 9:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. |
| Friday, March 29, 2019 | Bassett Place, Across Bath & Body Works | 6101 Gateway Blvd. W, El Paso, TX 79925 | 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. |
| Tuesday, April 2, 2019 | Pavo Real Recreation Center, Room 2 | 9301 Alameda Ave., El Paso, TX 79907 | 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. |
| Tuesday, April 2, 2019 | Esperanza Acosta Moreno Library, Meeting Room | 12480 Pebble Hills Blvd., El Paso, TX 79938 | 1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. |
| Wednesday, April 3, 2019 | EPCC Mission Del Paso Campus, Room A134 | 10700 Gateway Blvd. E, El Paso, TX 79927 | 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. |
| Wednesday, April 3, 2019 | Dorris Van Doren Library, Auditorium | 551 E. Redd Rd., El Paso, TX 79912 | 2:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. |
| Thursday, April 4, 2019 | W.E. Neill Community Center, TBD | 19210 Cobb St., Tornillo, TX 79853 | 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. |
| Thursday, April 4, 2019 | La Fe Montana Vista, Classroom | 14618 Greg Dr., El Paso, TX 79938 | 2:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. |
| Friday, April 5, 2019 | Veterans Park, Community Room | 5301 Salem Dr., El Paso, TX 79924 | 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. |
| Friday, April 5, 2019 | Sunland Park Mall, Lower Level, Next to Express | 750 Sunland Park Dr., El Paso, TX 79912 | 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. |