Orange County boosts ballot security with added police, tracking systems for upcoming election

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Published  October 30, 2024 7:23pm EDT
FOX 35 Orlando
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Orange County boosts ballot security measures

Orange County election officials emphasized the importance of ballot security, announcing new measures including increased police presence and ballot-tracking systems to ensure votes are properly counted.

ORLANDO, Fla. - Orange County election officials emphasized the importance of ballot security, announcing new measures including increased police presence and ballot-tracking systems to ensure votes are properly counted.

"It’s critical for Orange County residents to know their vote is safe and secure, but more importantly, that we have transparent elections," said Glen Gilzean, Orange County’s election supervisor.

Officials noted that state law requires two individuals to be present at all times with drop boxes, a measure that Gilzean reinforced by adding law enforcement officers to help oversee ballot transport. "We’ve added law enforcement to circulate and transport ballots back to the counting center," Gilzean said.

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Once ballots arrive at the counting center, Gilzean explained, a live video stream will allow the public to watch the process. "The community can log onto our website and see the ballot processing in real-time," he said.

In addition, the county introduced the BallotTrax system, which enables voters to track their vote-by-mail ballots from start to finish via the election supervisor’s website.

Voters expressed confidence in the security measures. "Our country has shown that we have one of the safest voting systems in the world," said Kathy Godfrey, a local voter. Another voter, Gigi Papa, added, "The more security, the better. It helps everyone feel confident their ballot goes exactly where it’s supposed to."

The Orange County elections website also offers information on wait times at polling locations.

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