EViD Poll Books

Alachua County Supervisor of Elections moving to electronic voter identification poll books at all Election Day precincts

A poll book is the official list of registered voters in a given area. Election Day workers use the poll books to review voter registration information, ensuring that prospective voters are registered and at their correct and assigned precinct.

In prior years, hard copy poll books, previously called poll registers, were printed the Friday night before an election and sent out to precincts before voting began. Beginning with the City of Gainesville's 2018 General Election, which will be held on March 20, all voting precincts in Alachua County will use EViD (electronic voter identification) poll books.

With the move to electronic poll books countywide (they have been used for early voting in Alachua County since 2006), the voter check-in process will be faster and more efficient. Voter registration information is updated in real-time, eliminating the three-day lag in past elections between when poll books were printed and when the election was held.

During primary elections, voters will no longer need to line up based on party affiliation. Elections officials will have one poll book β€” complete with information on registered members of each party and those without a party affiliation. 

A voter's record is updated in real-time as well. This allows election staff and political campaigns to verify remotely exactly who has or has not voted at any time, with no need to call or visit each polling location to gather the information.

More than two-thirds of Florida's counties use electronic poll books. In counties that have been using the system at all Election Day precincts, the results have been faster processing of voters, a reduction in the number of provisional ballots requiring post election staff time to process, resolution of many common situations without the need to call the main office, and easier and faster updates to voter registrations and history once the election is concluded.

The Alachua County Supervisor of Elections is always looking for willing and able individuals to serve as poll workers. Poll workers are paid an hourly wage that is dependent on the assignment one is given in a precinct. To apply, go to https://goo.gl/e5eRCK.

Poll workers can pledge to donate all or a portion of their wages as part of the Adopt-A-Precinct program. Business owners and civic organization leaders are encouraged to participate. All participating individuals, businesses and civic organizations will be recognized following the election. To learn more, email Outreach Director TJ Pyche at tjpyche@alachuacounty.us.