Madison County commissioners vote to send DS300 scanner upgrade to Board of Supervisors for funding approval

Madison County Election Commissioners voted Aug. 13 to forward a purchase and upgrade plan for new election tabulation equipment to the county Board of Supervisors for approval and funding.

The proposal, presented by Bill Lowe, would replace the county's current DS200 election-day tabulators with 85 DS300 scanners, add new flip stands for poll books, upgrade firmware on tabulators and express-vote units, and move poll-book hardware into a revised case and soft-case printer system. Lowe said the DS300 "is a newer scanner that we have that's gonna be a lot faster, a lot more efficient," and that the purchase would move the county to a newer tabulation firmware and certification plan.

The commissioners were told the purchase could be covered by Secretary of State grant funds and HAVA-related disbursements. Anita Ray, the county clerk, explained the grant flow and local disbursements and reported that, after the initial disbursement and the contract, the county would have about $57,830 remaining in the election funds identified…