AMARILLO, Texas (KAMR/KCIT)— The Potter County Republican Party said it is changing the way it holds primary elections, making a move to hand-marked and counted ballots.

“This is the way we did it, and it worked for over 200 years,” said Republican Party Chairman, Dan Rogers.

“They vote to not go with electronic voting machines, that we go back to the way we used to do things where we vote in our precincts, and marked and counted manual poll books county wide,” said Rogers.

So how does this change the way you vote?

Potter County Elections Administrator Melynn Huntley said if you are voting in the Republican Primary during early voting, you can still go to a voting center and cast your ballot on an electronic voting machine as normal, for now. The same applies to absentee voting. Voters will still mail in their ballots and have them tabulated by the Huntley’s office.

However, if you are going to vote as a Republican in the primary on Election Day, in Potter County, you will have to vote in a precinct, not a voting center, on the hand-marked paper ballots.

“I look up your name, you sign, we look at your ID make sure it matches what’s on there, you sign, we give you a ballot, and you fill it out, and then you drop it in a box, and you leave,” said Rogers.

Rogers said he would like to see the Potter County Democratic Party adopt the same voting style.

We reached out to the Potter County Democratic Chair, Amy Taylor, for comment. Said said in a statement:

“The system of voting that’s been in place for the last fifteen years in Potter County is watertight. Voter fraud under the current system is not possible. Therefore, I see no need to change to a system of all paper ballots. It’s the Republican Party’s right to run the Primary Election as they see fit, but the Potter County Democratic Party will not be following suit.”

Amy Taylor | Potter County Democratic Chair

“I want the Democrats vote counted, as well as the Republicans without any question. And I’m not saying there’s fraud. I’m not accusing anybody of doing anything wrong,” said Rogers. “You know, we have a phenomenal election administrator here that does a wonderful job. But it’s not about that. It’s about doing what’s right for the voters.”

Rogers said he has contacted other Republican County Chairs to let them know what they are doing, and what he thinks every Republican county chair should follow suit.

We asked Randall County Elections Administrator Shannon Lackey if she anticipated any changes to their primary election. She said, “I don’t anticipate any changes for Randall County. A joint primary has already been decided upon by both Party Chairs and the resolution will be adopted in Commissioner’s Court on Tuesday.”