SULLIVAN COUNTY IS ONE OF FIVE COUNTIES IN THE STATE TO TRY A NEW PAPER BALLOT VOTING SYSTEM MANDATED BY STATE LAW. COUNTY RESIDENTS WHO VOTE EARLY FOR THE AUGUST 5TH ELECTIONS WILL USE PAPER BALLOTS AND OPTICAL SCAN EQUIPMENT WHEN THEY CAST THEIR EARLY BALLOTS AT THE SULLIVAN COUNTY ELECTION OFFICE IN BLOUNTVILLE. NEW LAWS REQUIRE THAT VOTING SYSTEMS PROVIDE A BALLOT OF RECORD VIA PAPER BALLOT MARKED BY THE VOTER, AND REQUIRES SUCH BALLOTS TO BE AVAILABLE TO A VOTER TO VERIFY THEIR VOTES, WHILE MAINTAINING THE SECRECY OF THE VOTER’S CHOICES. THE NEW VOTING MACHINES WILL BE REQUIRED TO BE IN USE BY NOVEMBER 2010.