Mirror photo by Gary M. Baranec / John Hastings (left) was one of three vendors demonstrating voting machines, which the county is considering purchasing Wednesday afternoon at the Blair County Convention Center.

HOLLIDAYSBURG — A year from now, Blair County voters likely will be ready to cast ballots on new voting machines.

Three voting systems, one certified by the state elections officials and two more expecting state certification soon, were publicly displayed and demonstrated Wednesday afternoon at the Blair County Convention Center.

The event attracted about 50 people within its first half hour and continued drawing more who wanted to catch a glimpse of the future.

Longtime voter Christina Robinson of Altoona said she wanted to see the voting machines.

“I am absolutely ready to vote on a new system,” Robinson said. “I don’t like the dial system we use now, especially when you want to write in someone’s name. It’s very cumbersome, and I think it discourages write-in votes.”

In 2006, Blair County started using eSlate voting machines requiring voters to manipulate a dial to move through the ballot and to cast a write-in vote. Push buttons are available to select candidates whose names are on the ballot.

While that system has worked well in Blair County, all votes are recorded electronically, thereby not leaving a paper trail to support the computerized vote counts. But after the 2016 presidential election, when voting systems in 21 states including Pennsylvania, were targeted by hackers, Wolf ordered all counties to replace systems without a paper trail by the 2020 election.

Commissioner Ted Beam Jr., who chairs the county’s elections board, said he thinks Blair will have new machines by the November 2019 general election. That will give the voters and election staff a chance to use them before 2020’s presidential election, Beam said.

Systems demonstrated Wednesday were set up by Dominion Voting of Toronto, Election Systems and Software of Omaha, Neb., and Unisyn Voting Solutions, based in California. Upon leaving, those attending were asked to complete a questionnaire and advise commissioners of their preference.

“I liked the one over there,” Hollidaysburg resident Bob Magdelinic said, pointing to a 21-inch computer touchscreen tablet allowing voters to enlarge the type and to change the background color of the ballot, which could make it easier to read. “But we might like a particular one and commissioners won’t.”

Another option requires voters to use a pencil to color in an oval beside the name of the candidate they support.

“That system in the middle is the one I prefer,” said longtime voter and senior citizen George Pacifico of Altoona. “I found it very simple to use.”

Longtime voter Sandy Weyandt of Martinsburg, who staffs her local election precinct, pointed out that all three systems generate a paper trail to use in case of a vote challenge.

“I’d go with the one that costs the least money,” she said.

Blair County’s estimates for buying new voting machines has ranged from $1.5 to $2.7 million, depending on the selected options.

The county may also be able make a purchase through the state’s Cooperative Purchasing Program, known as Costars, County Administrator Helen Schmitt said Wednesday. That could save time because the state will have already conducted a competitive bidding process.

Counties might also be able to save some money if they consolidate their orders, possibly through the Southern Alleghenies Planning & Development Commission, Schmitt added.

Beam said he appreciated the time and effort made by those attending the event.

“I think it shows this is an important topic for a lot them,” Beam said.

Mirror Staff Writer Kay Stephens is at 946-7456.