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Finance and Taxation Committee approves purchase of Badger Books electronic poll books
Summary
The committee voted unanimously to buy seven Badger Books units and a server to replace paper poll books, at a net local cost of $14,646 after a $5,227 county reimbursement; presenters said the system should speed check-in and cut post-election clerical time.
The Finance and Taxation Committee voted unanimously to approve the purchase of Badger Books, an electronic poll book system, approving seven units and a dedicated server to replace paper poll books at local polling places.
The Clerk (S2), who presented the item, told the committee the system requires one unit per roughly 800 voters and that the town will need seven units plus one server. Two vendor quotes on file total $19,873; the Clerk said the county would reimburse $5,227, leaving a local cost of $14,646.
"So this system we've been I guess I've been toying around for maybe the last year or so thinking if we should invest in this," the Clerk said, describing the system as a way to make check-in faster and reduce post-election work. The Clerk added that the county is providing a server, supplies and one client unit to participating municipalities and that ordering promptly could have the units in place for the February or April election.
Committee members asked how records would be kept. When asked whether the system prints a physical copy of signatures, the Clerk replied, "From my understanding, it all gets recorded electronically," and said the system would reduce the hours spent manually scanning and verifying voter signatures after an election and that results upload to the state's election site (referred to in meeting materials as "Wistvo").
"I can speak from from past experience that I think a lot of people misunderstand ... it doesn't stop there," said a committee member (S4), describing the post‑election workload of scanning thousands of entries and saying an electronic system would cut that burden.
A committee member (S3) moved to approve the purchase; another member (S5) seconded. The Clerk noted the purchase is under the $25,000 threshold and said it may not require council action. The committee took a roll call vote and every named alder responded "Aye," after which the Chair declared the motion passed unanimously.
The committee adjourned following the vote.
