Purchase Of New Voting Machines Still Under Scrutiny
During a November meeting, a company representative with ES&S demonstrated how the new machines function.
Purchase Of New Voting Machines Still Under Scrutiny
By David Howell
Editor
WATER VALLEY – The possible purchase of new election equipment was revisited in the Dec. 7 supervisor meeting when Circuit Clerk Daryl Burney addressed concerns cited last month when he first approached supervisors about spending $66,600 for 13 new ballot scanners.
The DS200 ballot scanners recommended by Burney would replace the 20 year-old ballot scanners currently in use and allow the county’s voters to continue to use paper ballots. Burney said the new scanners are faster and allow for improved processing of problematic ballot markings.
“Harrison County and Desoto County are getting ready to sign a contract for these machines because the technology is so much better,” Burney told supervisors.
If approved, the purchase will be funded from election appropriations the county receives from the Mississippi Secretary of State’s office and Burney presented a letter from the state agency ensuring the money would continue coming to the county.
The letter was in response to questions from the November meeting when supervisors asked if the money coming from the Secretary of State’s office would continue to flow to the county to fully fund the cost of the new machines. Figures presented at the November meeting showed the county has already received $45,000 from the Secretary of State’s office in previous years that would be used for the purchase.
In response to other questions from the earlier meeting, Burney also said ES&S, the company manufacturing the machines, is the single source provider for the machines because it is the only machine available that will work with the county’s existing handicap voting utilized by the county. As a single source provider, the county is not required to advertise for bids. The company has quoted the machines at $5,700 each for a total cost of $74,100, minus $7,500 the company has agreed to pay to purchase the current machines used in the county.
Burney also reiterated his recommendation to purchase 13 machines, which includes one for each of the county’s 11 precincts and two spares.
“We get by very, very cheap on elections compared to other counties. But elections do cost something, it’s part of our county’s democratic process,” Burney also told supervisors.
Following the discussion, the request was tabled until a recessed meeting scheduled Dec. 21 to allow Board Attorney John Crow to ensure the machines could be purchased without advertising for bids and to check on the U.S. Department of Justice requirements for changing the election process.
Precinct Count
Will Remain At 11
When Burney and the county’s five election commissioners first visited supervisors last month to request the purchase, the topic also triggered a broader discussion on the possibility of reducing the number of voting precincts in the county with precincts in Scobey and Skuna Valley/Vann’s Mill targeted for consolidation. Reducing the two precincts would also reduce the number of ballot scanners needed.
“We are not addressing reducing the number of precincts, but that is going to address itself in a couple of years,” Board President Tommy Vaughn explained in the Dec. 7 meeting. Vaughn added the reduction could come if a problematic building used as one of the precincts continues to deteriorate or if there is a shortage of poll workers needed to staff the precincts.
“I don’t want to cause a ruckus. But I hate to buy extra machines and a year or two one of those precincts has to go,” District Three Supervisor Lee McMinn said about the possible reduction.
“Remember the state is buying them,” Burney said about the funding.
“Yeah, but that is my money too,” McMinn countered.
Burney then quoted the number of voters in the two precincts mentioned in the previous meeting – 282 registered voters in Scobey, 228 in Skuna Vann’s Mills.
“How many vote?” McMinn said.
“They roughly vote about 50 percent, which is some of the better turnout we have,” Burney answered. “The people that vote in Scobey and Skuna Valley, the people that vote there and live there, a lot of them work outside the county. It pushes a lot of people to get back in time to vote,” Burney added as discussion on the possible precinct reduction ended.
