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CEE outlines ballot print estimates, technology reserve and plan to buy additional counting machines
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Summary
The commission told the House committee it reserved a notional 10 million ballots, projects a $472,500 printing cost for 2.5 million plebiscite ballots, holds a $7 million technology reserve and is evaluating the purchase of about eight to ten additional ICC multimachines (estimated $29,500 each) to handle early/advance voting.
SAN JUAN — During the July 18 hearing on election readiness, the Commission Estatal de Elecciones explained how it is preparing the logistics and budget lines for the November general election, including ballot printing, temporary staff and additional vote-counting machines.
Jessica Padilla Rivera said the CEE identified a quantity of 10 million ballots as a precautionary measure to cover up to five ballots per voter; the commission noted that the actual paper purchase would be made by the printing vendors awarded through the subasta process.
Yarelis Melendez, the commissionbudget chief, told the committee the estimate to print 2.5 million ballots for a plebiscite scenario is $472,500, a unit-cost figure derived from recent primary printing after more certified printers entered the market. The commissionsaid the legislature approved $27,685,000 for the CEE this fiscal year; the commission had requested about $29.1 million and expects a $4 million reserve under OGP custody that can be released if justified.
Padilla said the CEE already owns two Dominion ICC multimachines and is evaluating whether to purchase additional ICC units for the advance-vote process; she estimated a likely requirement of eight to ten more ICC units but said the precise number and distribution per region remain under study. The ICC unit cost cited in the hearing was about $29,500 apiece.
The commission also described how licensing and software-rights are typically contracted separately from hardware purchases; staff warned recurring licensing costs for firmware and central management software can be substantial and must be budgeted.
The committee asked for a copy of the budget annexes and the procurement documentation for the GMT contract, and requested updated projections for the number of machines to be purchased and the plan for maintenance before the election.
The CEE said it will provide the requested documents to the committee within five days.
