SIERRA VISTA - For anyone wanting to register to vote or learn more about the process, the Voter's Farmer's Market was the place to be on Wednesday.

The event, held at the Ethel Berger Center, was the second in a series for this county.

The first was held in Benson on Tuesday. One is scheduled from 4 to 8 p.m. today at St. Patrick Parish Hall in Bisbee.

At times, there seemed to be more political candidates than potential voters at the event - some running for seats in the state House or the judiciary.

The local Democratic and Republican parties had booths, laden with stickers and pamphlets.

However, early in the event, one person did register, officials said.

"There's a good representation of both parties here" said Tom Schelling, Cochise County elections director.

Schelling said one of the goals, along with registering people to vote, was to answer any questions about voting.

Early in the event, residents picked up voting information or registration forms.

One of them, Hereford resident Toni McNulty, was busy checking out information and preparing to register to vote. She said the presentation was impressive, and she was looking forward to voting this year.

Max Frye, of Sierra Vista, said he and his wife were there to find out how things work in the county.

"We've lived here over a year, and haven't been able to vote (in an election yet)," Frye said.

Sierra Vistan Jacqueline O'Connor said she was registered to vote, but wanted to check identification rules.

"Plus, I just wanted to see who was here," she added.

Schelling was joined by the interim voter outreach coordinator, Dora Valdivia.

Valdivia, who speaks Spanish, was there partly to interpret, if needed. She said people have asked her about early voting, the types of identification needed and voting locations. She added the Benson event was better attended by candidates.

Another person checking out the event was Ramon Martin Garcia, a consultant working with several disability groups.

"We're hoping to increase voter participation," Garcia said. "We can help facilitate early voting ballots."

Based on numerous polls, studies and participation records, voter participation among the disabled is in Arizona hovers around 40 percent on average, he said.

And one concern he and others have, he said, is Proposition 200 and how it could affect the disabled. The proposition was passed in 2004 and limits the types of government services illegal immigrants can receive.

For example, Garcia said, a person may not have a driver's license, possibly affecting his or her ability to vote. There are other issues involving the voting rights of those with cognitive disabilities or brain injuries, he said.

"I think we're pretty lucky to have the Automark," said Garcia, in reference to a machine that allows the disabled to vote as easily as possible

Schelling showed a state-of the art machine, called the Automark, which even has a function to allow people to vote if they cannot physically use their hands.

There will special polling places featuring parking places with a call button, where the disabled can pull up, push the button and two people will come out and assist them.

"We're trying to accommodate everybody, so there will be no excuse to vote," Schelling said.

And he demonstrated the M100, a scanner that reads ballots. "There are lots of checks and balances."

Schelling also assured some locals about the sanctity of their vote, in light of the 2000 presidential election debacle and accusations of voting mischief two years ago in Ohio. "We count every ballot that gets printed," he said. "We have to account for all ballots."