Poll books are lists of registered voters and their addresses that election workers at each polling place use to determine who can vote at that location and to check off who has voted.
November 05, 2025
high
definition
Explains the purpose and contents of poll books used in in-person voting.
Election jurisdictions may use electronic poll books and also maintain backup paper poll books; electronic poll books can sometimes display incorrect voting status (for example, showing a voter as already voted), prompting election workers to switch to backup paper poll books.
November 05, 2025
high
operational risk
Electronic poll books are subject to data or synchronization errors, so jurisdictions often keep paper backups.