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Committee rejects analyst's $300,000 cut for open‑source voting work; Elections funding retained
Summary
Budget analysts recommended cutting a $300,000 request for an initial phase of an open‑source voting system, citing uncertainty and no precedent. Several supervisors moved to retain the funding; the committee voted to reject the cut and preserve $300,000 for Elections' open‑source planning work.
The Department of Elections sought $300,000 to develop specifications and begin work toward an open‑source voting system. The Budget & Legislative Analyst recommended denying the $300,000 because no jurisdiction had yet built such a system, costs were uncertain and certification by the California Secretary of State would be required.
Several supervisors — led by Scott Wiener and supported by Supervisor Jane Kim — pressed to retain the allocation, citing the Board's earlier unanimous direction and the Elections Commission's endorsement for exploring an open‑source alternative. After discussion the committee rejected the Budget & Legislative Analyst's proposed $300,000 reduction and kept the funding in the Elections budget to proceed with planning work.
The committee's action preserves the city's initial investment to develop open‑source specifications and continue a longer‑term effort to move away from proprietary voting systems. The committee recorded the BLA's concerns that the total cost of developing and certifying a production voting system remains unknown.
What happens next: The Department of Elections will proceed with the planning/specifications phase funded at $300,000; the BLA and the committee will monitor scope, cost projections and the path to state certification.
