Lunch & Learn: Voting Then & Now – A Tale of Tabs, Touchscreens, and Turning Back to Paper

The Bartow History Museum invites the public to attend Voting Then & Now: A Tale of Tabs, Touchscreens, and Turning Back to Paper, an engaging Lunch & Learn program exploring the evolution of voting technology in the United States and what those changes may reveal about the future of elections.

Presented by Bartow County Election Supervisor Joseph Kirk, this program traces the history of voting systems – from punch cards and hanging chads in the 1990s to touchscreen voting machines and today’s renewed discussions surrounding hand-marked paper ballots. Attendees will also learn about the Help America Vote Act and how federal reforms transformed election administration and the voting experience nationwide.

Discover how advancements in voting technology have shaped public confidence, accessibility, and election administration over time. The program will also examine current discussions surrounding election technology and the historical trends influencing how Americans cast their ballots today.