iPads Assist Elderly, Disabled in Oregon Voting
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Oregon is making it easier for the elderly and disabled to vote in the state’s upcoming congressional election using the help of iPads.
The state will be the first in the country to allow residents who have trouble filling out traditional mail-in paper ballots to electronically vote through Apple’s tablet device, the Associated Press reported. State election workers will be making the rounds with the device at local nursing homes, community centers and parks in five counties.
Oregon is holding a special election to replace former representative David Wu, who resigned in August amid sex scandal allegations.
With the help of election workers, visually impaired voters can tap the iPad screen to select the candidate for whom they wish to vote. The iPad's text size and colors can be adjusted. [Read: IPads May Help Kids with Severe Vision Impairments]
The vote can then be printed through a portable printer, and the ballot can be mailed or dropped into a nearby ballot box.
About 72 iPads are required to run the program — two devices for each county — and the state has spent $75,000 to develop the software. According to the report, Apple donated five iPads to the program.
Oregon plans to roll out the service to the rest of the state in other upcoming elections if the pilot program is a success, the Associated Press said.
Reach TechNewsDaily senior writer Samantha Murphy at smurphy@techmedianetwork.com. Follow her on Twitter @SamMurphy_TMN.
