NORTHFIELD — Although an electronic voter check-in and verification process was expected to be implemented in time for Tuesday’s town election, the rollout has been delayed, according to Town Clerk Dan Campbell.
Campbell previously came before the Selectboard to talk about Poll Pads, which would replace the traditional analog check-in process. The town was able to buy two with $5,000 in federal grant money.
“I’m able to utilize a bit more modern technology going forward,” Campbell said in a phone interview. “We had been talking about it for years but I didn’t have it in the budget before.”
Using Poll Pads would allow the poll workers to simply scan a driver’s license to verify a voter’s identity and registration status, and check them in to vote, Campbell explained. Without a license, the poll worker can still type in the voter’s name.
However, due to the town undergoing interviews to hire an assistant town clerk, Campbell said he decided to hold off on implementing the new technology.
“I had every intention of training people” in time for the town election, he said. “When the opportunity came up to try to have an assistant, I felt it would probably be better to have that person on board first. … It’s been a slow process, but I want to make sure it’s done correctly.”
With that in mind, Campbell expects the Poll Pads will make their Northfield debut during the Sept. 6 state primary. The new technology is expected to make the check-in process faster, streamlining the voting process. However, Campbell said if the poll workers encounter problems during the primary election, it will give them a chance to resolve those difficulties ahead of the Nov. 8 state election.
“It gives me the summer to do some training,” he said of the new rollout plan. The town currently has a roster of 20 poll workers.
Heading into Tuesday’s town election, there are no contests on the ballot. Polls will be open from noon to 8 p.m. at Town Hall, with Campbell noting the only change voters will notice is the elimination of the checkout process, which he said is no longer required by the state and allows the town to employ one or two fewer poll workers.
“You’re not going to get lost going 10 feet,” he said of the polling location.
Masks are not required in Town Hall.
The positions on the ballot are as follows:
■Selectboard, three-year term — Heath F. Cummings, incumbent.
■Board of Assessors, three-year term — Robert H. MacEwen Jr., incumbent.
■Board of Health, two seats with three-year terms — Philip C. Baker, incumbent, and Ruth Potee.
■Board of Library Trustees, two seats with three-year terms — Deborah Potee, incumbent, and Alexander J. Strysky.
■Planning Board, five-year term — Margaret Ann Riordan, incumbent.
■Recreation Commission, two seats with three-year terms — Courtney Lawlor and Joshua Clayton Roman.
■Board of Trustees of Veterans Memorials and Veterans Services, veteran’s position with a three-year term — Francis Leo Froment, incumbent.
■Board of Trustees of Veterans Memorials and Veterans Services, non-veteran’s position with a three-year term — Raymond J. Zukowski Jr., incumbent.
■Constable, four positions with three-year terms — Albert N. Stone, incumbent, David Kelly and Francis Leo Froment.
■Board of Sewer Commissioners, three-year term — Dan. A Gray, incumbent.
■Board of Sewer Commissioners, one-year term — Karen Gale Boudreau.
Reach Shelby Ashline at 413-772-0261, ext. 270 or sashline@recorder.com.