Badger Books (Electronic Poll Books)
In 2017, Wisconsin Elections Commission staff developed an electronic poll book system to be used in polling places in Wisconsin on Election Day. The “Badger Book” is an electronic poll book software that is specific to Wisconsin elections practices and statutes. The Badger Book is the only electronic poll book software created with direct WisVote integration. Badger Books within each polling place connect securely to each other, but do not connect to the internet or any other network outside the polling place.
The Badger Book is primarily used to check in voters, process absentee ballots, and register a voter on Election Day. The Badger Book maintains the voter number and count independent of poll worker input.
The Badger Book will work the same as a paper poll book. The election inspector will still look up the voter names in the poll book. Voters will still sign the poll book and will still get a voter number slip. The only difference is that all of this will be done electronically using the Badger Books.
The actual process of voting will not change at all. Voters will still vote on paper ballots and will still place those ballots in the tabulator. The tabulator is not connected to the Badger Books in any way.
Summary
Badger Books are:
- Poll books. They are used to check in voters and produce a voter number on a slip of paper for each voter.
- Used to register voters.
- Used to process absentee ballots.
When voters check in, they will give their names and addresses to the election inspectors, just as they have in the past. The only difference will be that the inspectors will be looking up voter names electronically, rather than in paper poll books. Voters’ signatures will still be required, but voters will sign their names on an electronic screen, rather than in the paper poll book.
Badger Books are not:
- Voting machines – you cannot cast votes on them.
- Vote tabulators – they don’t count votes.