The Marion County Board Tuesday night approved the purchase of new voting equipment.
The package from ESNS will cost $438,675.
County Clerk Steve Fox has been pushing the replacement of the old equipment he fears may not keep working during this year’s elections.
“Each polling place would have 1 tabulator. That is the machine that actually counts the ballots. Then many of the precincts who have larger voter registration populaces would have possibly 2 of the touch voting devices that print out a paper ballot.”
Fox emphasized the machines will all print to paper ballots and a hand count will be possible if necessary.
Fox hopes the new equipment can be delivered in April which will allow for election judges to be trained before the start of early voting in the primary election in May.
The county board agreed to pay the 50-percent down right now from the general fund. The finance committee will further study the way they eventually want to pay for the equipment.
Finance Committee Chair Dr. Creighton Engel would like to see the payments be stretched over a three-year period so the budget doesn’t take one big hit this year.
Fox says the company will haul off the old voting equipment which is big because it cannot be disposed of without special handling to prevent it from falling into the wrong hands. ESNS will also provide a small credit for the old equipment.
