Just fill in the oval

Auditor Patty Weeks tests out the new vote-counting machine Monday.

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Story Published: Nov 2, 2009 at 11:16 PM PDT

Story Updated: Nov 2, 2009 at 11:16 PM PDT

By Matt Loveless

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LEWISTON- As Lewiston voters head to the polls Tuesday, the county is moving away from the decades old punch-card system. When citizens vote for four Lewiston city council positions, county Auditor Patty Weeks said it will now be a simple "fill in the oval."

"Instead of using a stylus to mark their ballot, they'll have a pencil and they'll just need to fill in the oval," said Weeks. "They need to make sure they stay within the circle, and not do an X or a check or circle a name, but just to fill in the oval, like a person would do in a test in school."

The new voting method comes with a new machine. The M-650 Green Light Optical Scan Tabulator was put to the test Monday afternoon with two representatives from the city, and a Nez Perce County Sheriff's deputy, along with a couple of interested candidates, as witnesses.

Weeks said less than 24 hours before putting it to work, everything tested out just fine.

"We went through and tested every precinct with every candidate to make sure everything was accurate, and it came back with 100 percent success," said Weeks.

Weeks reminds voters that the Lewiston election is for residents of the city only. Polls are open Tuesday from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.

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