Speeding Up Mail-in Ballot Processing for Nassau County

In Nassau County, Florida, a surge in vote-by-mail ballot requests in recent elections presented a significant challenge. County managers were unable to hire more workers to handle the increased workload, so they sought new technology solutions to cope with the sudden spike in demand.

A combination of changing Florida legislation, higher than usual vote-by-mail requests, and the need to comply with strict record retention requirements made it crucial for Nassau County election officials to find a reliable and efficient solution to process thousands of mail-in ballots in a short span of time.

Their research, along with guidance from a business process automation company called Image One, led them to the mail-in ballot solution from Kodak Alaris. Powered by the super-fast and reliable workhorse that is the Kodak i4250 Scanner, Nassau County was able to quickly transform its vote-by-mail processing and significantly improve overall efficiency and accuracy while reducing the need for physical storage space to maintain paper records.

Overcoming Many Challenges

Before they had a solution to automate vote-by-mail processing, Nassau County's election staff had to manually check and verify each envelope against the database using a barcode scanner. The process was slow, cumbersome, and prone to errors. The team could only process 20-25 ballot envelopes per hour, on average.

However, with the Kodak i4250 Scanner leading the way, the team was able to process hundreds of envelopes per hour, realizing a dramatic increase in productivity. The mail-in ballot solution from Kodak Alaris also played a significant role in helping the county maintain compliance with record retention requirements. They can now digitize envelopes to create a digital inventory and eliminate the need for physical storage of old paper records.

This has reduced costs and made it easier for the county to locate specific envelope images when requested. Specifically, Nassau County staff can easily perform lookups on demand and flag individuals that have already voted in the system.

Handling All Paper Types with Ease

Another critical factor contributing to the success of the Kodak Alaris solution in Nassau County was its ability to handle thicker envelopes. County staff had tried scanners from other manufacturers, but those devices were unable to reliably feed the 40,000 variably thick envelopes that were coming in for each election cycle, which slowed down the entire operation. The Kodak i4250 Scanner was specifically designed to handle challenges like this and managed the thick and varied envelopes with ease.

Fast, Reliable Support Services

Another essential factor in this success story was the performance of Kodak Alaris Support Services. Local technicians were available on site to ensure that all scanners were running smoothly, providing the county with the necessary support to keep their election processes efficient and error-free.

Scott Miller, Director of Elections in Nassau County, praised the Kodak Alaris solution, saying, "It's a great system that we really enjoy, and it makes our office more efficient - we can do a lot more in less time. It does what it's designed to do really well and is highly effective for our election staff."

Michael Cooney, Director of Sales and Operations at Image One, had this to say: “Our clients have experienced a tremendous improvement in mail-in ballot processing and reporting efficiencies. The mail-in ballot solution from Kodak Alaris has significantly increased their output and improved the user experience.”

In short, Kodak Alaris helped transform vote-by-mail processing in Nassau County, Florida, by providing an efficient, accurate, and reliable ballot envelope processing solution that significantly improved the county’s critical workflows and enabled a more transparent election process for everyone involved.