Chantell McCurdy, director of elections for Butler County, demonstrates a new poll pad in the Government Center annex Thursday, May 9, 2025. Harold Aughton/Special to the Eagle

Voters were mostly positive when faced with digital poll pads instead of traditional poll books in Tuesday’s primary election, especially those with common names.

The Butler County Bureau of Elections introduced digital poll pads at the Franklin Township precinct, the Butler City 5 precinct in the Salvation Army gymnasium and the Cranberry Township East 2 precinct. The pads will be implemented at all but seven precincts that have fewer than 100 voters in November’s general election, elections director Chantell McCurdy said.

Most voters were pleased with how poll pads speed up the traditional process of flipping through a poll book to find the correct voter and identifying information. With the digital poll pads, a poll worker can type in a voter’s name and the voter’s associated information will appear for the voter to verify their identity.

The poll pads do not replace paper ballots, only the process of checking in to obtain a ballot.

Voters may be asked to provide their address or date of birth to be located in the system. If a voter is at the wrong precinct, the poll pad will also detect the wrong location and print the address for the correct voting precinct or allow the voter to cast a provisional ballot.

Robert Smith, a Franklin Township voter, said poll pads make it easier for people with common names. He said in previous elections, he’d been told he already voted at the precinct after another voter selected his name with the wrong verifying information. He said he’s experienced similar instances at the driver’s license center.

“I can see my name and information right there,” Smith said.

One Franklin Township poll worker said the poll pads are not connected to Wi-Fi, which could allow for data breaches, but the machines still communicate with each other as a safeguard to voting multiple times.

Poll workers expect the digital pads to decrease wait times and long lines at busy precincts, and welcome the significant decrease in paperwork. The poll pads also eliminate the need for multiple lines separated by last name when checking into the precinct.

Other voters, largely unfamiliar with using technology, also found the digital poll pads easier since only a button push is required to verify information.

While most voters welcomed the change, others worry they are less secure than a paper ballot book and believe the most secure manner of conducting elections is to require voters show identification.

The digital poll pads were provided by Knowink, an election security and technology company based in Missouri. The pads are certified by the U.S. Election Assistance Commission.