Scott County officials seek $182,444 to replace aging voting machines

County election officials asked the Scott County Commissioners on July 29 to appropriate $182,444.15 to purchase replacement microvote direct-recording electronic (DRE) voting machines ahead of a federal upgrade deadline.

"The only thing we are asking for is a very large number of a $182,444.15," the election-board presenter told the commission, adding that machines cost $2,800 apiece and that the county is required to have at least 65 machines in a presidential election year. The presenter said current machines are about 25 years old and are now obsolete.

The presenter and technicians warned of a supply-chain constraint: lead times depend on semiconductor production and currently run about 24–34 weeks, meaning six to seven months from order to delivery. They also asked commissioners to appropriate a separate $5,600 election-administration assistance fund toward two machines, with the larger appropriation covering the remaining 63 units.

Officials explained recycling and secure decommissioning add fees because federal rules require secure erasure and destruction of equipment. "There is a federal law on how those have to be destroyed," the presenter said, noting the recycling vendor charges separate removal and travel fees.

Commissioners discussed changing the budget line wording from "microvote DREs" to the broader term "equipment" to avoid vendor lock-in if the county wanted to switch suppliers in the future. Staff also proposed renting backup generators for election days (under $1,000 per rental) rather than buying costly capital equipment, reducing short-term budget pressure.

If commissioners approve the request, staff said they would ask municipal partners (Scottsburg and Austin) to pay their share in municipal-election years under the county's cost-sharing procedure. The commission did not vote on the appropriation at the July 29 session.