County To Take A Look At New Voting Machines
BY DAVID SLONE, Times-Union Staff Writer

If Kosciusko County wants to be reimbursed by the federal government for new voting machine equipment, the county has to act before Dec. 31, 2005.

Thursday, county clerk Sharon Christner asked the county council if they had made any decisions on which company’s voting machines they want to inspect.

The election board reviewed the various machines but decided that the county council and commissioners should make the final decision.

Christner told the council the state has only until Dec. 31, 2005, to act for a chance for any reimbursement money.

Larry Teghtmeyer, councilman, said he was told at a conference recently that if the county spends money from the county general fund on the machines, they lose their chance of reimbursement. He said to get reimbursed, the county has to make sure they purchase the equipment correctly.

This fall, Christner said, polling sites will be surveyed to see if they are ADA compliant, and she said the county may fail. It’s difficult to find places for the polls as there aren’t many places to hold them.

Council president Harold Jones asked when the county council and commissioners could take a look at them. Christner said if they let her know when, she could set it up.

Teghtmeyer suggested looking at the voting machines after the budget sessions were over, but they need to get started on it as the more time they have, the better.

Christner will set up some time with two to three vendors after Aug. 12.