Kern County extends Dominion voting-system contract to 2027, approves $583,812 upgrade

The Kern County Board of Supervisors on a 4-0 vote with one member absent approved Amendment No. 5 to its agreement with Dominion Voting Systems, extending the contract through Dec. 31, 2027, and authorizing up to $583,812 for license and maintenance renewals plus a one‑time software and minimal hardware upgrade.

The move delays a full replacement of the county’s voting system so a future, board‑appointed registrar of voters can lead any request‑for‑proposal (RFP) and system selection. Auditor‑Controller and Registrar of Voters Amy Espinosa told the board the extension covers $468,812 in licensing and maintenance for two years and $115,000 for the one‑time upgrade to the currently certified software and minimal server/hardware updates.

Why it matters: replacing a certified county voting system could require replacing many components — ballot‑marking devices, tabulators, servers and adjudication stations — and Espinosa estimated a full replacement could cost an estimated $2 million to $4 million depending on the vendor…