Clerk’s office to implement Badger Books at all Janesville polling places

JANESVILLE, Wis. (WMTV) - The midterm elections mark the first time all Janesville polling places will check voters in electronically with Badger Books.

Badger Books are a digital check-in system where voter information is stored and accessed by election workers to make sure voters are identified correctly and can vote efficiently on Election Day.

Janesville City Clerk Lori Stottler fully replaces the paper check-in process with the Badger Book tablets on Tuesday. Some Badger Books were used at a couple polling places during the Spring elections, but all 10 polling places will use them starting Nov. 8.

“We can scan your license or enter your name, bring you up very quickly, get you your voter number and on to you ballot a lot quicker than when we were doing it by hand,” Stottler said. “More and more are getting on board with it because it does make that back end process and reconciliation a lot easier.”

Badger Books digitize the numbering process for absentee ballots which Stottler said improves the counting process.

She said Badger Books are expensive, but worth the price for Rock County communities with a higher number of people.

Elections run by the Town of Janesville, Beloit, Edgerton, Rock and Turtle will use Badger Books.

Rock County clerk Lisa Tollefson said smaller municipalities may not have the budget to purchase Badger Books. She also said communities with fewer residents do not need an electronic check-in system because they don’t need to count as many votes.

Badger Books will only be used on Election Day and to help election workers count the votes after.

Janesville voter Michaelyn Farjeon voted early and said she appreciates the work poll volunteers put in to make the process easier.

“I mean they’re not in it for the money for the money, that’s for sure. It’s about heart and it’s about caring for democracy and looking after it,” Farjeon said.

Election Day is on Nov. 8.

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