County closer to optical scan voting system

By DALE EMCH
BLADE STAFF WRITER

Unhappy they have to tap county funds to make up for a political impasse on the elections board, Lucas County commissioners nevertheless agreed yesterday to let the board seek bids for leasing 386 optical-scan voting machines for the Nov. 2 general election.

Companies bidding for the contract will have to cap the cost of the machines at $310,000 if they want to be successful, said Paula Hicks-Hudson, director of the county elections board.

The bids are expected to be submitted by the companies next week, and a decision on a supplier could be made within about two weeks.

"The beauty of the optical-scan voting machine is that the voters will have a paper ballot and they just have to fill in the ovals and run it through the machine," Ms. Hicks-Hudson said.

But the commissioners, who have been dealing with a tight budget this year and anticipate a $7 million deficit in 2005, are unhappy they have to spend the money to lease voting machines.

The inability of the Lucas County Board of Elections members to reach agreement on which system to use cost the county the chance to use federal and state money to pay for the voting machines in time for the Nov. 2 election.

The commissioners plan to use money slated for capital improvements to pay for the equipment.

Under state law, they will have to seek permission from a Lucas County Common Pleas Court judge to transfer money from the capital improvements fund to the general fund.

Harry Barlos, president of the board of commissioners, said yesterday that he is disappointed county taxpayers will have to pick up the tab for the machines when it should have been unnecessary.

He cited a press conference he held three years ago calling for the use of federal and state dollars to replace the old lever voting booths with modern technology.

"I think it's a sad commentary that three years later we have managed to abuse the fact that the federal government is willing to give us $500,000 or $600,000 and we have squandered that opportunity," Mr. Barlos said.

Commissioner Tina Skeldon Wozniak said she wants voters to have confidence their votes will be recorded.

"Despite all the frustration, it's our obligation to provide safe and secure elections," Ms. Wozniak said.

Commissioner Maggie Thurber, whose husband, Sam Thurber, is an elections board member, said she is concerned that the county will have to lease machines again for next year's primary and perhaps for the 2005 general election.

The state is requiring paper-audit trails to be developed for touch-screen systems.

Ms. Thurber said she is concerned that the specifications for the paper-voter receipts won't be defined soon enough for makers of the optical-scan machines to implement them next year.

"I think we have to plan for leasing machines in 2005," she said.

"I'd rather plan for having to lease the machines and have the money to meet that need than not plan and need the money."