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Report finds electronic council voting would add costs and complexity; Granicus demo proposed
Summary
A staff report on replacing voice voting with an electronic voting system noted limited vendor options, higher annual fees (about $20,000 more), potential hardware and staffing needs, and recommended a demonstration by Granicus as the next step; final policy changes would require council rule updates.
A report responding to a motion from Council member Seth Walsh examined the possibility of replacing the council’s voice‑voting protocol with an electronic voting system. The administration’s request‑for‑information returned a single respondent, Granicus, which provides the council’s online system.
Staff summarized Granicus’s response and said an electronic voting implementation could carry roughly $20,000 more in annual fees in addition to hardware and possible staffing costs. The report also identified necessary changes to council rules if the city were to adopt electronic voting.
Council member Walsh said the report answered questions about the charter amendment that permitted electronic voting and provided a roadmap for next steps, including a Granicus demonstration and a follow‑up report. Council member Mark Jeffries commented the expected cost and complexity make it unattractive, saying, “the juice is obviously not worth the squeeze.”
Committee members said the report was informational and agreed to file the report; a demonstration and additional analysis are the next steps if council pursues the change. The transcript does not record a final vote on adopting electronic voting or any vendor contract award.
