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Humboldt County approves $68,580 purchase of voting equipment using ARPA funds
Summary
The board approved buying new voting machines, ballot boxes and scanners after election equipment vendor support ended; the purchase will use ARPA funds and includes annual maintenance already paid.
The Humboldt County Board of Supervisors approved the purchase of new election equipment after staff said the vendor will no longer support the county’s existing machines.
County elections staff told the board the vendor would not provide software updates for the current machines, forcing the county to replace hardware used by precinct workers. The package includes eight computers, eight ballot boxes and scanners, a tablet and an additional ballot scanner. The purchase price was announced as $68,580. Annual software maintenance fees of about $7,330 were noted as already paid for the year.
“They won't do updates on the equipment anymore program wise, so we are forced to get new equipment,” the county elections staff member said, explaining why the county sought a replacement from the vendor it has used historically.
Supervisors moved to approve buying the equipment from the vendor recommended by staff and to pay from the county’s ARPA (American Rescue Plan Act) funds. The motion passed with the board's unanimous voice vote.
Why this matters: Elections officials said training and continuity for precinct workers were considerations; changing equipment shortly before a major election was undesirable, and that factor shaped vendor selection and timing. Purchasing with ARPA dollars was chosen so general fund resources were not used for the capital purchase.
Ending: The board approved the contract and staff will proceed with acquisition and deployment planning, including scheduling for equipment delivery and setup.
