Three companies bid on voting machine contract

Associated Press

COLUMBIA, S.C. - Three companies responded to the state's request for proposals for a new electronic voting system to replace punch cards in some counties.

On Friday, Election Systems & Software, Diebold Election Systems of McKinney, Texas, and Palmetto Unilect of Columbia returned proposals.

State Budget and Control Board spokesman Mike Sponhour said proposals from those companies weren't immediately available for public review. It will take about two weeks for the state to review the proposals. Plans call for an award to be made on July 23, Sponhour said.

The state is in a rush to replace punch card equipment used in 11 counties that are similar to those that led to Florida's problems during the 2000 presidential election. If South Carolina doesn't have the machines in place by November, it risks losing $2.2 million the federal government has offered to replace old equipment, state Election Commission director Marci Andino has said.

The state had awarded the contract to Election Systems & Software in April for $32.5 million. But other companies protested that award and it was thrown out because the Nebraska company did not provide a fixed price for operating and maintaining the machines. That prompted a new request for proposals.

This week, two state senators asked the State Law Enforcement Division to investigate the old award process and Andino's involvement.

Andino worked for computer company Unisys during its partnership with Election Systems & Software in Georgia. She has denied a conflict because Unisys isn't involved in the South Carolina deal.