FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: August 7, 2009

CONTACT:    Sandy Baxter – Voter Outreach Specialist TTY (360) 754-2933

AutoMARK™ Voting Machine Available for the August 18th Primary Election

OLYMPIA – An AutoMARK™ voting machine is currently available at the Thurston County Courthouse.  The AutoMARK™ will be available at the Intercity Bus Depot in downtown Olympia, on Friday, August 14 from 3:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. and Saturday, August 15, from noon to 4:00 p.m.  No appointment is necessary to use a machine at these locations. Voters who do not have transportation to these locations should contact the Auditor’s Office at (360) 786-5408 to schedule an appointment to have a machine brought to them.  Voters must have their ballots with them to use the AutoMARK™. 

These machines allow voters who cannot otherwise read or mark their ballots to vote independently and secretly. “These machines can read the ballot to the voter, magnify the print on the ballot, and mark the ballot for the voter. Voters who have never been able to vote independently before can use these machines to exercise one of their most fundamental rights,” said Auditor Kim Wyman.    The machines also allow voters to verify that their ballot was marked accurately. The AutoMARK™ does not produce a ballot.  Voters must have their ballots with them to use the AutoMARK™ machines.