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Election officer warns county to finalize polling sites and decide on equipment by next year
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Summary
County election officer Susan Kerrigan told commissioners that blue address-verification cards go to new or moved voters, noted the Blue Building is unavailable for the August primary due to the fair, and urged the county to decide on replacement equipment by next year to avoid 2028 shortages.
Susan Kerrigan, the county election officer, briefed the Atchison County Commission on April 14 about voter notification cards, the status of polling locations and equipment options for future elections.
Kerrigan said the blue address-verification cards mailed by the election office are an address verification step required when voters register or change addresses; those cards list a previously used polling location and may confuse voters until new locations are finalized. She told commissioners the county has not yet chosen an August primary polling site because the Blue Building is unavailable during the county fair and staff are evaluating alternate locations (options discussed included the high school cafeteria, senior-center facilities and a central office next to the Blue Building).
On equipment, Kerrigan said the county needs to plan for replacement within the next year because current machines may not last through the 2028 election cycle. She outlined two options: purchase ballot-marking devices (electronic ballot markers) to reduce ballot printing costs but require equipment purchases, or revert to paper ballots with a central scanner and manual sorting (which raises staffing needs and creates more ballot printing waste). Commissioners and former election workers discussed operational trade-offs, including costs, tabulation speed and the need for ADA-compliant machines.
No formal action was taken on April 14. Commissioners asked staff to explore locations and costs; Kerrigan said staff would aim to present equipment options and budgetary implications before next year’s procurement deadlines.
Next steps: election staff to evaluate potential polling locations for August and return with cost estimates and recommendations on equipment options.
