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Isanti County board declines purchase of electronic poll books after public concern
Summary
The Isanti County Board voted to delay buying electronic poll books (e-poll pads) after public comments and township feedback; the auditor presented costs and grant funding but commissioners said constituents and election judges were not ready.
The Isanti County Board of Commissioners voted to decline a proposal to purchase electronic rosters (e-poll books) for county polling places at its evening meeting, following public comment and what commissioners described as widespread constituent concern.
Auditor-Treasurer Angie Larson told the board the purchase quote for the county was $97,670, which included three years of maintenance and licensing. Larson said state grant funding held in the county’s voter account would cover about 93.28 percent of that cost and that the county receives an annual voter administration payment of $40,341 that will continue “until legislation changes it.” She said the remaining county share, after that grant money, would be roughly $6,561 total (about $152.49 per device at the smallest precinct setups).
Larson said e-poll books do not create ballots, are not connected to the internet at polling places and are already in use in two of Isanti County’s largest precincts since February 2018. A member of the public who identified herself as Sabrina told commissioners she trusts local elections and asked the board to “stick to how we’re doing things and not move to electronics that can have issues far too easily.”
Why it matters: The board’s decision affects how voters sign in at precincts and whether the county will adopt a paper-to-electronic hybrid roster system that administrators say improves efficiency. Commissioners framed the decision as weighing constituent trust and the cost of ongoing maintenance against potential administrative efficiencies.
Board discussion and vote: Several commissioners reported having surveyed townships and residents in their districts and said most township boards and many constituents opposed introducing the technology now. Commissioner Christiansen moved that the county not purchase electronic poll pads “at this time”; Commissioner Westerberg seconded. The board approved the motion; the meeting record shows four board members in favor of the motion and one member recorded as abstaining.
What the auditor said about funding and operations: Larson noted the county currently has $91,109 in the voter account and expected another state payment in July; she described the state reimbursement as a continuing grant until state law changes and emphasized that the devices are not connected to vote-counting machines at polling sites.
Next steps: No equipment will be purchased as a result of the motion. Commissioners said the item could be revisited in the future if local sentiment or funding changes. Larson and commissioners discussed possibly using existing grant funds for other election needs (for example, additional precinct counting equipment) and agreed to bring cost estimates and more information to a future calendar (CAL) meeting or discussion.
Ending: Commissioners thanked Larson for researching and presenting the proposal and agreed to continue outreach and education about election procedures and any future proposals.
