Badger Books – Electronic Poll Books Replace Paper Poll Books

Beginning with the August 13, 2024, Partisan Primary Election, the City of Platteville will be making the move to Badger Book Electronic Poll Books. Nearly 1/3 of registered voters in the state utilize Badger Books on Election Day. Badger Books allow Poll Workers to check-in voters, process Election Day Registrations, and record absentee participation with a electronic poll book instead of paper.

Badger Book software was developed by the Wisconsin Elections Commission in 2017 in accordance with Wisconsin election practices and statutes. It is the only electronic poll book software created to integrate with Wisconsin’s statewide voter registration system. Badger Books have enhancements to keep data secure. Badger Book communicate with one another on Election Day via a secure router that is used solely to link the Badger Books at the polling location. Badger Books do not use an internet connection, and no personal data is stored on the books. Badger Books work together to continually update the list of voters who have checked-in and to assign sequential voter numbers.

On Election Day, the process of check-in and registration is streamlined. With the ability to scan a Wisconsin Driver License or ID Card, information is automatically populated, reducing data entry errors. The data will be verified, and the voter will sign with a stylus or fingertip on the touchscreen. The voter is assigned a number, provided a ballot and directed to the voting booths. The use of the Badger Books does not change the physical voting process. Voters will still receive a paper ballot and place their voted ballot in the tabulator. Badger Books are simply an electronic form of the poll book. 

As Badger Books will have the data for the polling location, voters can go to any open Badger Book to be checked-in; they only need to be in the correct polling location. Instituting Badger Books should result in shorter wait times and more efficient registration processing. If a voter arrives at the wrong polling location, the system prompts the Poll Worker to redirect them to the correct location.

Following an election, Clerks are afforded at least 30-days to enter voter participation and Election Day Registrations. Badger Books eliminate the need for manual entry of participation and registration applications. Voters should be able to view their participation at myvote.wi.gov much more quickly than with traditional paper poll books. 

 Election Day Voter Check-in

1. Voter will still state their name and address and present their Photo ID;
2. Poll Workers will look up the information in the Badger Book and select the voter;
3. Badger Book provides the Poll Worker with all valid types of Photo ID that can be accepted, including specific expiration dates;
4. The Poll Worker will turn the Badger Books screen to the voter for signature;
5. Badger Book automatically prints a voter number slip that the voter presents at the ballot table to receive their paper ballot; and
6. The voter marks their ballot and feeds it through the tabulator.

Badger Books are…

• NOT Tabulators – You cannot cast your ballot on a Badger Book. Voting will continue to be done on paper ballots.
• NOT connected to the internet or any other outside source. Badger Books communicate with each other via a wireless router within the polling place. Each Badger Book is password protected and each poll worker has their own user credentials to log in. Voter participation data is encrypted and secure. Like a paper poll book, no Personally Identifiable Information (PII) is accessible.