Mason County commissioners on Oct. 28 removed from the action agenda for separate discussion a requested purchase of the Hart Intercivic Verity Vanguard voting system after staff learned the system lacks current certification by the Washington secretary of state's office.

Steve Dunkel, Mason County auditor, told the commission he had secured permission to use HAVA grant funds for a purchase and that the Verity Vanguard system has met federal certification standards. "It's a whole different level of examination," Dunkel said, distinguishing federal security testing from the state-level user-interface certification conducted by the secretary of state. He said state testing was scheduled but not complete and that the county should wait until state certification is final.

Commissioners reported they had independently contacted the secretary of state's office and were told the system had not yet been approved for use in Washington. A secretary-of-state official (referred to in the meeting) said there was no set date for approval. Commissioners decided not to make a motion to approve the purchase at this meeting; the matter was left "in limbo" pending notification that the state has completed certification testing.

The auditor said the federal certification needed for certain grant compliance is already in place, while state certification addresses user-interface and related administrative requirements. Commissioners directed staff to bring the purchase back to a future briefing or meeting once the secretary of state's certification status is confirmed.