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County elections staff: voting machines had feeding errors; annual $18,000 equipment fee requires budgeting
Summary
Commissioners and elections staff discussed $16,000–$18,000 in annual equipment fees for new voting machines and recent feeding errors that are under warranty; staff said hand counts have verified election integrity.
Commissioners and members of the public raised questions July 15 about new voting equipment and an unplanned budget item. A member of the public asked why the clerk’s office needed to add roughly $16,000 next year for election equipment when there will be fewer elections.
Elections manager (S4) explained that when the machines were purchased the equipment reserve fund was depleted and that the vendor charges an annual fee (stated approximately as $18,000) that must be paid regardless of how many elections are held. The machines were sent back to the vendor for diagnostic testing to address feeding errors; vendor repairs and state support were described as being under warranty for the next two elections.
On vote integrity: the elections manager said every election must include a hand count of at least 3% of precincts, and that the county routinely performs more than that when concerns arise; she said prior hand counts (the last time) exceeded 50% of precincts and matched machine results, indicating no integrity problem.
Why it matters: the recurring maintenance and fee structure for new election equipment is a recurring budget item that commissioners must fund. The county is working with the vendor and the state to address mechanical feeding errors and calibrations.
Next steps: Elections staff will pursue warranty repairs, work with the vendor and the state manager to adjust calibration or optional software features, and include the annual equipment fee in the upcoming budget discussions.
