§ 17-19-8.2 - State-of-the-art voting technology.
SECTION 17-19-8.2
§ 17-19-8.2 State-of-the-art votingtechnology. – (a) Given the development of the necessary state-of-the-art technology and thepotential availability of federal funds, the secretary of state, as mandated by§ 17-19-8.1, shall expand the special ballot service to as wide a range ofvoters with disabilities as possible. Accordingly, the secretary of state shallbegin the process for the purchase of state-of-the-art voting equipment whichcan accommodate not only voters who are blind or visually impaired but alsopersons with other disabilities and afford all voters who are blind, visuallyimpaired or disabled the opportunity to cast their ballot independently.
(b) The ballot for the new voting equipment must be createdfrom the same database used to create the ballot for the state's currentoptical scan precinct count system. Votes cast on the new voting equipment mustbe capable of being integrated into the state's current optical scan precinctcount system by the board of elections. Duties and responsibilities withrespect to ballot creation and preparation and maintenance of the integratedvoting equipment would be delegated to the secretary of state and the stateboard of elections in substantially the same manner as outlined in §17-19-3(b).
(c) Funding for the procurement of this technology for eachpolling place shall be through federal funds appropriated to the state of RhodeIsland pursuant to election reform legislation adopted by Congress in 2002.