Hearing To Assess Electronic Voting Roster Costs

ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) -- With voters having rejected a photo ID requirement, Minnesota lawmakers are testing out electronic polling place rosters intended to make verifying voters easier and more accurate.

They'll get an update Wednesday on the potential costs, which will begin to accrue with a limited pilot project. A task force set up to monitor the pilot project was holding a hearing on the expected programming, hardware and maintenance costs.

The rosters are meant to replace the paper sign-in sheets at precincts. They contain the same type of information: registration data, a place for a signature and indication if someone already voted or has had a challenged registration status.

Secretary of State Mark Ritchie could also face questions about his implantation of a new online voter registration system.

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