Hybrid voting machines approved by county leaders

Hays County’s quest for a new voting machine ended Tuesday when commissioners approved Hart Intercivic’s hybrid system, complete with a paper ballot. 

County commissioners July 30 approved the Hart system by a 4-1 vote with County Judge Ruben Becerra casting the lone dissenting vote. Council leaders had two vendors to choose from, the other being a machine manufactured by ES&S. Both machines received approval from the Texas Secretary of State’s office.

The county’s current Direct Recording-Electronic (DRE) voting devices are serviced by Hart, but the new machines offer a paper ballot to review before it is entered into a scanner.