ES&S Agrees to Johnson County Election Board Demands

By Joy Dumandan for WISH-TV Indianapolis  10 August 2004

(Johnson Cty) Voters in Johnson County are assured one thing come November they will get to vote. The question that remains up in the air is exactly how your vote will be cast.

The Johnson County Election Board gave an ultimatum. And now there's an answer.

Electronic Systems and Software or the election equipment company that's become known as ES&S gave its word to the Johnson County Election Board that it will provide certified voting equipment for the November election.

"You have the same objective that we have to run an election in November on a certified product that's trouble-free,” said John Groh of ES&S.

But ES&S couldn't say what voting equipment will be used.

"I can't sit here today and commit to you that on the 20th I'm going to know for certain or not," said Groh.

The Johnson County Election Board imposed an August 20th deadline on ES&S to get the software for the Ivotronic touch screen systems certified or else guarantee plan B using the optical scan systems.

"We are willing to work with ES&S and if they get this other system certified by the 20th of August, we will be more than happy to try to use that," said Jill Jackson, the Johnson County Clerk
 
The county spent $2.4 million on the Ivotronic touch screens, but now the election board will be satisfied just knowing citizens can cast a vote that counts come November.

"As long as they're going to meet what we've asked in our original motion, then our clerk can go ahead and prepare for the election and do our training and we'll move forward that way, said Bob Hill, a member of the Johnson County Election Board.

ES&S also promised to give the board daily s as to how the certification of the software is coming along.

Johnson County is one of four counties including Henry, Wayne and Vanderburgh who have uncertified ES&S election software.