FLORENCE - Residents turned out by the hundreds to test out Florence County’s new electronic voting system Saturday.

Moreover, officials said they were receptive at an open house at the former Florence County Library on Pine Street sponsored by the Florence County Voter Registration and Election Commission.

The event is part of a massive educational outreach initiative designed to familiarize the voting public with the set-up, officials said.

“It went very well - we got a lot of people acclimated to the system today without any complaints as far as I know,” Florence County Voter Registration and Elections Director Russell Barrett said.

Barrett estimated that a steady stream of people totaling between 400 and 500 came to the former library Saturday, eager to try out the electronic touch-screen machines that will be used for the first time in the Nov. 2 general election.

The new iVotronic voting system, programmed with advanced security features, prevents a voter from making a mistake, such as voting for too many candidates for a single office.

In addition, proponents said, voters are allowed to check and change their ballot choices before casting their ballot. “This is a voting system that will meet the needs of the people for 20 more years,” Barrett said, jokingly adding, “we had the punch-card system for the last 20 years, so this’ll be a good legacy for me to leave.”

In recent weeks, representatives of the Florence branch of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People and several local officials have voiced concern that election officials will not be able to educate all Florence County voters on how to use the new machines in time for the election.

Barrett said he and his staff have been extremely busy conducting demonstrations throughout the county, including 60 such events in September. But, he said, with the election fast approaching, “we have to taper off at some point ... as we have to prepare and begin putting voting machines out by the precincts.”

In addition to demonstrations, the state election commission’s voter education campaign will include television advertisements, direct mail pamphlets, a Web site and a SCVotes Tour bus that will transport demonstration machines to festival events and other public venues throughout the county between now and Nov. 2.

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