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UW engineering students develop tech solution to improve Snohomish County ballot collection

Edmonds, WALocal News

A team of six University of Washington students developed a comprehensive technology solution to improve Snohomish County's ballot collection process. Their project, titled “Collect. Calculate. Dispatch. ,” aims to enhance efficiency for over 533,000 registered voters by managing pickups from 35 drop boxes.

In the November 2024 election, Snohomish County saw over 290,000 ballots returned through these drop boxes, underscoring the need for better coordination. The solution features a smart scale system, a route optimization tool, and a dashboard for live monitoring of operations. County Auditor Garth Fell highlighted the students' organization and motivation in understanding the ballot collection process and identifying key improvements. The optimized routing system alone saves 122 miles traveled per election, demonstrating significant cost-effectiveness. The project exemplifies how academic partnerships can drive innovation in local governance.

The system is set for pilot testing in upcoming elections, with plans for scalability and user experience refinement.

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