Vote Centers and Voting Equipment

Vote Centers - Starting in May 2019

Ellis County has been approved and authorized by the State of Texas to continue to hold elections using countywide precinct polling locations (Vote Centers). This allows Ellis County registered voters to vote at ANY Vote Center that is convenient for the voter. Voters can vote near where they work, live, or go to school within the county. You will no longer have to vote at your specific precinct location on Election Day. This will NOT eliminate your voter registration precinct number, that data is still very important to define the area and districts you live within.

History of Vote Centers: House Bill 758 (2005, 79th Legislative Session) added Section 43.007 to the Texas Election Code providing for the countywide polling place program. Lubbock County was the first county to participate in the program during the November general election in 2006. Currently, there are 52 Texas counties that have been designated as “successful” under the countywide polling place program. For the November 2019 Elections, there are 69 counties in Texas that will be using countywide polling places which make up 73% of the registered voters in Texas.

Click here for Video about Vote Centers  (Youtube video)

CountyWide Vote Center Map for November Odd year and May Even & Odd year locations as of 6/2019

CountyWide Vote Center Map for Primary and November Even year locations as of 6/2019

CountyWide Vote Center Map for Early Voting (Standard County Locations) as of 6/2019

Note: Sometimes a voting location is unavailable to use for an election, so the location list could be revised for any election. Always click on the Upcoming Election information page to see the current listing of polling places. 

Upcoming Election Information

Voting System - Starting in May 2019

Election Systems and Software (ES&S) ExpressVote voting system will first be used during the May 4, 2019 Joint Election. This system uses touch-screen technology that produces a paper-based ballot for tabulation. As a marking device, the ExpressVote handles the entire marking process, eliminating marginal marks and the need for interpretation of the voter’s mark.  The voter will receive an activation card (ballot) with their ballot style printed on the card to begin the process. The voter will insert card into the marking device, make their selections, verify the selections made, and print the ballot. The voter will then place the ballot into the DS200 tabulation machine. Now the voting process has been completed. 

Click here for Video Demonstration of the New Voting System (Youtube video)

Click here for Information and Video on the Security of the Voting Equipment (Website with Youtube video)

Instructions on casting an ExpressVote Ballot

ExpressVote Ballot Marking Device 

The ExpressVote uses touch-screen technology that produces a paper-based ballot for tabulation. As a marking device, the ExpressVote handles the entire marking process, eliminating marginal marks and the need for interpretation of the voter's mark. Voters will receive an activation card (ballot) with their ballot style printed on the card to begin the process. Voters will insert card into the marking device, make their selections, verify the selections made, and print the ballot. Voters then review the selections printed on the ballot for accuracy before taking the ballot over the DS200 for tabulation.  Click here for more information on the ExpressVote.

DS200 Digital Scan Tabulator

The DS200 is a polling location-based scanner and vote tabulator that combines the flexibility and efficiency of digital-imaging technology to support paper-based voting -- taking traditional optical-scan ballot vote tabulation into the twenty-first century. Click here for more information on the DS200.

DS450 Central High Speed Digital Scanner and Tabulator

The DS450 high-speed central scanner and vote tabulator is the fastest central scanner in the election industry. The system is used at Central Count to tabulate ballots received by mail. The DS450 continuously scans and intelligently sorts ballots with its high-speed digital image processing, saving election staff valuable time when tabulating results. Click here for more information on the DS450.