How Electronic Poll Books Work and Stay Secure

An electronic poll book, or e-poll book, is a laptop, tablet or kiosk used by election workers to check in voters, access registration records, assign the correct ballot style and record that a voter has been issued a ballot.

Electronic poll books are not voting machines. They do not collect or tabulate cast votes. Their main job is to support voter check-in and election administration.

What does an electronic poll book do?

Electronic poll books perform many traditional poll-book functions digitally. According to the U.S. Election Assistance Commission (EAC), they can:

1. search for a voter in digital registration records;
2. confirm voter status;
3. identify the correct polling place or precinct;
4. assign the correct ballot style;
5. mark that a voter has been issued a ballot;
6. capture a voter signature where state law allows;
7. support same-day registration in jurisdictions that permit it; and
8. produce administrative reports.

Some systems can also look up voters across multiple precincts, supporting vote centres.

Is an e-poll book the same as a voting machine?

No.

A voting machine or voting system captures, records or tabulates votes. An e-poll book is election-supporting technology used primarily by election workers, and the EAC states that it does not collect or tabulate cast vote records.

A network-connected e-poll book is therefore not an internet-connected voting machine. The two perform different functions and fall under different federal testing frameworks.

How does an e-poll book connect to voter registration records?

Electronic poll books rely on information from a voter registration system.

The EAC recognises two broad configurations.

Stand-alone or disconnected systems

An e-poll book can contain a local copy of the voter list and operate without a live network connection at the polling place.

The device can still search records and check voters in, with updates synchronised later if required.

Network-connected systems

Other e-poll books communicate with a central registration database or other approved systems through wired or wireless networks.

This can allow records to be checked and updated across the jurisdiction in near real time. For example, another authorised device may quickly receive the update that a ballot has already been issued.

Network connectivity is therefore not a defining requirement of an electronic poll book.

Why can electronic poll books improve voter check-in?

Digital records can make large voter lists faster to search and reduce manual lookups. The EAC's 2026 usage data describes EPBs as tools for reducing check-in delays, improving accuracy and supporting timely registration updates.

Faster check-in is not automatic eligibility approval. Election workers must still follow state law when a record contains a warning, mismatch or unresolved issue.

What information do electronic poll books need to protect?

E-poll books can contain or access voter-registration information.

Depending on the system, that can include names, addresses, registration status, voter identifiers, signatures or other information used to locate and verify a voter record. Protecting it requires both cybersecurity and physical security.

The EAC's Voluntary Electronic Poll Book Certification Requirements, or VEPBCR, organise security controls into seven areas:

1. access control;
2. physical security;
3. system integrity;
4. network and telecommunications security;
5. software design and architecture;
6. logging; and
7. supply-chain risk management.

State and local requirements can add further controls.

How is access to an e-poll book controlled?

The VEPBCR requires controls intended to prevent users from receiving more access than their job requires.

These include account management, role-based access control, separation of duties and least privilege.

For example, a poll worker who only checks in voters should not automatically be able to change system configuration.

The requirements also cover device locking, reauthentication and unsuccessful login attempts. For privileged operations, systems with the applicable capability must support multi-factor authentication, including actions such as changing permissions or directly updating external voter-registration databases.

How is voter data protected on the device?

The federal requirements include whole-disk encryption for components that store voter or ballot information internally.

They also require authentication before access to device BIOS or firmware interfaces and documentation for tamper-evident protections.

Physical protections can include seals on devices or unused ports, asset identification and procedures for securing or disabling a lost device.

How are network-connected e-poll books secured?

Network connectivity creates additional security requirements.

Under the VEPBCR, network-connected systems must use approved encryption for data transfers and be configured to block connections to unapproved external networks and devices.

The requirements also address firewall settings, documented network architecture and limiting data exchanges to what is necessary. For network-connected systems, they include support for security monitoring such as endpoint detection and response.

This is a defence-in-depth approach: encryption protects data in transit, access controls limit users, network rules restrict connections and monitoring can help detect suspicious activity.

How does the system know voter data has not been altered?

The EAC requirements address the integrity and authenticity of voter information.

Where applicable, the e-poll book must cryptographically verify voter data and log or display verification errors.

That means the system can detect when protected voter data has changed or fails an authenticity check. This complements authentication and other data-integrity controls.

What happens if an e-poll book or network fails?

Election jurisdictions need contingency procedures because electronic devices, power supplies and networks can fail.

A connected e-poll book may continue from locally stored information, while another jurisdiction may use backup devices or paper records. The fallback process depends on the system and local procedures.

Loss of network access therefore does not automatically mean voting must stop.

Are electronic poll books federally certified?

The EAC launched the nation's first Voluntary Electronic Poll Book Certification Program in 2024 under its Election Supporting Technology Evaluation Program.

Systems submitted to the programme are tested for functionality, security and accessibility. Participation is voluntary at the federal level, although states can impose their own approval requirements.

As of September 2026, the EAC publishes a current list of certified systems and systems under test. The programme is separate from the Voluntary Voting System Guidelines because e-poll books are supporting technology rather than voting systems.

Does every state use electronic poll books the same way?

No.

States and local jurisdictions differ in:

1. whether electronic poll books are used at all;
2. whether they are network-connected;
3. what voter data they display;
4. whether they can update registration records;
5. how voter signatures or identification are handled;
6. certification and approval requirements;
7. permitted hardware and software; and
8. contingency procedures.

The EAC maintains state-specific certification information, but the relevant election authority remains the controlling source.

Related ESG terms

1. E-pollbook
2. Voter Registration System
3. Statewide Voter Registration System
4. Voting System
5. Ballot Style
6. Access Control
7. Role Based Access Control
8. Multi-Factor Authentication
9. Authentication
10. Encryption
11. Unauthorized Access

Frequently asked questions

1. Do electronic poll books count votes?

No. E-poll books are used primarily for voter check-in and election administration. The EAC specifically distinguishes them from voting systems because they do not collect or tabulate cast vote records.

2. Do electronic poll books have to be connected to the internet?

No. Some e-poll books operate from a local copy of the voter list without a live network connection. Others use approved wired or wireless connections to communicate with central voter-registration systems or other devices.

3. Can an electronic poll book stop someone from voting?

An e-poll book can display registration or eligibility information, but election workers must follow state law when a voter's status cannot be resolved. Depending on the circumstances, the voter may be directed to another polling location, asked for required information or offered a provisional ballot.

4. What happens if an electronic poll book is stolen?

Security procedures depend on the system and jurisdiction. The EAC's certification requirements address disk encryption, device access controls, tamper evidence, asset management and, for applicable wireless devices, functionality for remotely removing content or access from a lost or stolen device.

Sources and further reading

1. U.S. Election Assistance Commission — Voluntary Electronic Poll Book Certification Program
2. U.S. Election Assistance Commission — Frequently Asked Questions: Electronic Poll Books
3. U.S. Election Assistance Commission — Voluntary Electronic Poll Book Certification Requirements
4. U.S. Election Assistance Commission — Electronic Poll Books Certified and Under Test
5. U.S. Election Assistance Commission — Electronic Poll Book Usage
6. U.S. Election Assistance Commission — State Certification Requirements for Electronic Poll Books
7. U.S. Election Assistance Commission — Electronic Poll Book Report

ESG editorial note: Election Security Glossary is an educational and reference resource. It is not an election authority and does not provide legal advice or official voting instructions. Electronic poll book functions, network configurations, certification requirements and contingency procedures vary by jurisdiction; consult the relevant election authority for rules that apply to a specific election.