Sauk County board approves new electronic voting equipment to replace decade-old machines

Sauk County supervisors voted to authorize purchase of new electronic voting equipment, including DS200 style tabulators and accessible voting units, replacing machines the county has used for about a decade.

Supporters said the county’s current equipment is 10 years old and procurement now would allow newly elected municipal clerks to train on the newer systems rather than learning legacy machines and retraining a year later. “The current election equipment in the county is 10 years old… it would be beneficial for [new clerks] to learn new equipment instead of learning on the old equipment,” Supervisor Carver said.

Opponents cited security and auditing concerns about electronic tabulators. “I really believe that we should be voting on one day and I believe that we should be voting with ballots that are counted… that are hand counted,” Supervisor Pepper said, expressing a preference for hand counting and saying she did not trust electronic machines. The county clerk clarified that the equipment being purchased tabulates ballots but precincts remain required to conduct required post-election checks and to maintain hand tallies for reconciliation.

The resolution authorizing the purchase passed by recorded vote, 23 in favor, 3 opposed, with 4 supervisors excused. County staff said the vendor currently used (Election Systems & Software) provided a quote and that using the incumbent vendor reduces transition costs because some existing components remain compatible.

Next steps: the county will proceed with procurement and schedule training for municipal clerks and election workers; equipment purchases will be built into next year’s budget cycle per staff notes.