Dakota County is swapping out its old voting tech for a new electronic system starting with the Aug. 11 primary, officials announced. The county is bringing in equipment from Election Systems & Software, including the DS300 and DS950 optical scanners and the ExpressVote universal ballot-marking device. Voters will still fill out paper ballots that remain human-readable and auditable, and the new setup will be used for in-person voting, absentee ballots, and central-count mail ballot processing through the end of 2026.
What’s changing at the polls
As reported by FOX 9, county officials say the DS300 and DS950 tabulators will handle the ballot counting, while the ExpressVote device will display ballots on a screen and mark selections before printing them for scanning. Election judges will still use the Poll Pad electronic roster to check voters in and register new ones, according to the county’s news release. The same machines will be in use at Election Day polling places and at locations where absentee and mail ballots are processed.
Security, testing and audits
According to Dakota County, the new system is built around paper ballots that can be read by both humans and machines and audited after the fact. The county notes that all tabulating equipment has been approved for use in Minnesota by the Secretary of State and that the devices are never connected to the internet or to any other device or network by wireless communication while voting is underway. Officials say every piece of equipment will undergo public accuracy testing before each election, with bipartisan observers invited to watch the process.
Where to see the machines and who to contact
The county says residents can check out the new machines in person and get step-by-step instructions at the Dakota County Administration Center in Hastings. Voters with questions about how the system works or how it will be used are encouraged to contact Dakota County Elections at 651-438-4305 or [email protected], according to FOX 9. County staff are urging anyone who wants a demonstration to schedule a visit before the Aug. 11 primary.
Why this matters
Counties across the country have been phasing in updated scanners and ballot-marking devices to meet accessibility requirements and to ensure there is always a paper ballot to fall back on in an audit, a trend tracked by Verified Voting. Dakota County says its new equipment is meant to keep those auditable paper records in place while expanding accessible voting options for residents with disabilities.
