Harnett County election staff cite training gaps, launch poll-worker outreach and order 33 more ballot-on-demand machines

Harnett County election staff on Tuesday summarized a post-primary survey of judges and outlined plans to expand training, recruit poll workers and equip voting sites with additional ballot-on-demand machines.

Sarah, who led the survey work, told the board she sent the questionnaire to roughly 25 judges and received 17 responses. Respondents praised the county’s ballot-on-demand system but highlighted recurring training needs: check-in procedures, providing materials in advance, provisional-ballot handling, help-desk processes, and more hands-on “labs” and Integra software training.

"Overwhelmingly everyone loved ballot on demand," Sarah said, and staff said they will implement more targeted training sessions and practical labs before the next election cycle.

Staff also described a two-phase plan to recruit poll workers and reach a goal of 50 workers. Phase one — notification of potential workers — is nearly complete. Phase two will include door‑to‑door outreach, phone follow-ups, outreach through chambers of commerce, presentations at the community college and coordination with the school board to engage teachers. Staff asked that online applicants receive a confirmation that their application was received.

On equipment, staff said the county is routing a contract to purchase 33 additional ballot-on-demand machines so each early‑voting and election‑day site will have three machines. The staff member said funding for the machines and related Integra software came from remaining funds in the current budget year provided by the county manager, identified in the meeting as Barren, and that the contract is in routing.

Staff also said the county met with commissioners, the county manager and public-works staff about reconfiguring space for the elections office; the commissioners and manager agreed to purchase and reconfigure the building to meet the board’s needs.

Next steps include rolling out additional training (including Integra labs), completing recruitment phase two, finalizing the procurement contract for the ballot-on-demand machines and signing the revised canvass reports discussed earlier in the meeting.