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BOE flags aging election equipment and extra costs as ranked-choice voting increases in-person voting time
Summary
BOE said ExpressVote touchscreens are over 10 years old, scanners were replaced with HAVA funds, and RCV will increase in-person voting times and likely ballot size and postage costs — items that may require supplemental funding or additional equipment deployment.
Monica Evans told the committee BOE used one-time local funding ($321,875) to replace poll-pad equipment and HAVA funds to purchase replacement DS300 scanners. She said ExpressVote touchscreen machines are over a decade old and, with RCV, vote times will increase because voters may rank multiple candidates in each contest.
"Due to software upgrades to our ExpressVote touchscreen equipment, we had to ensure the scanners are compatible," Evans said. She warned that older touchscreens produced delays in 2024 and that RCV will likely lengthen voting time and could push the agency to a larger ballot format (from 14 inches to possibly 17 inches), raising printing and postage costs. BOE said it is coordinating on-site with its ES&S vendor in December to finalize ballot design and tabulation procedures.
