Cochise County approves $308,000 for election scanners amid calls to abandon machines

Cochise County supervisors voted to transfer $308,000 from the general fund to buy two DS950 high‑speed tabulation scanners for the elections department, a 2‑1 decision that underscored continuing local disagreement over the county’s use of vote‑counting machines.

The board approved the purchase after a motion to transfer the funds passed with two votes in favor and Supervisor Crosby opposed. The meeting record shows public commenters urging the board to move to paper ballots and hand counts instead of purchasing more equipment.

The vote came during a broader sequence of election‑related items. Public commenters told the board they view additional spending on machines as the wrong response to recent problems. Radford Hyde, a Sierra Vista resident who spoke during call to the public, said: “The solution on the table is to spend more money on ES&S equipment in order to fix the problems that were brought on by the failing ES&S equipment.” Hyde later reiterated his preference for paper ballots and hand counts, saying, “Paper ballots, hand count, all of that needs to be implemented as soon as possible.”

Supervisors who supported the purchase said state law and potential legal challenges constrain how quickly the county can change vote‑count methods. Supervisor Casey (first reference uses transcript name) told the board the requested funds would be used “to purchase the 2 DS950s to be our primary tabulators moving forward.” Supervisor Gomez acknowledged interest in hand counts but noted, “by law, we have to have the machines,” and described the need for a vetted process and court review before switching systems.

Board members also approved related election spending during the same meeting: a $27,000 transfer to buy two OPEX 410 automated letter openers and a facilities remodel not to exceed $250,000 to expand space used by the elections and treasurer’s offices. The remodel will enlarge the treasurer’s vault for ballot storage, add two bathrooms, remove a hallway that currently passes through elections space, create a public observation room, and relocate election staff closer to the entrance to improve customer service, according to county staff.

Supporters of a future hand‑count system said precincts and procedures must be redesigned and validated before discarding machines. Supervisor Casey noted courts have ruled small precincts can risk voter privacy, and the county would have to redraw precincts, create and validate hand‑count procedures, and expect litigation. Gomez said the board plans work sessions and additional planning after the budget process to develop alternatives and legal defenses.

The meeting record shows the board also scheduled further internal meetings on election matters; county officials said they expect a year to prepare for any major changes and that any hand‑count transition would likely be litigated before it could replace machines.

The board’s action leaves the elections office equipped with newer tabulators and a plan to expand and reconfigure space used for ballot handling while supervisors pursue a longer‑term review of vote‑count methods.