Grant County approves HAVA reimbursement grant, excludes optional software pending review

County Clerk Pam Harris asked the council to approve a Help America Vote Act (HAVA) reimbursement grant award of $54,221 to improve election security and polling-place operations. The grant would reimburse the county for a fire-resistant ballot cabinet, nine high-speed printers to speed ballot processing, and display boards that meet state posting requirements at polling sites.

Harris described the grant as reimbursement-based: the county would purchase the equipment and then submit receipts to the secretary of state for repayment. "Grant County was awarded the $54,221," she said. She also proposed purchasing a software product described in the meeting as an "island" program that would provide a candidate information portal and enhanced results visuals; council members expressed concern about ongoing maintenance costs and long-term contractual commitments tied to a $10,000 annual maintenance fee. The council voted to approve the HAVA grant application but excluded the island software pending further contract review and confirmation that maintenance fees could be covered by future grants or other sources.

What happens next: The clerk will set up a special fund for the grant reimbursement, order reimbursable items and proceed with procurements that are federally and state-compliant. The software option remains under review and will not be purchased until contract details and long-term costs are resolved.