ES&S ed as new vendor for election equipment

By PAMELA BRUST   Parkersburg News and Sentinel    16 September 2005

CHARLESTON - State election officials announced Thursday that Election Systems & Software (ES&S) has been ed as the new vendor for election equipment in West Virginia.
Secretary of State Betty Ireland announced earlier the state will use the optical scan voting method to comply with federal requirements.

Wood County is one of 28 counties using optical scan and purchased its equipment from ES&S. Twelve counties in West Virginia use punch cards, including Kanawha County. Ten counties use paper ballots including neighboring Pleasants and Wirt. The remaining counties use the lever system.

Wood County Clerk Jamie Six was in Charleston Thursday evening to attend a public meeting sponsored by the Kanawha County Commission on the election systems, issues and concerns.

"Obviously one of our concerns will be our card reader's compatibility with what the state is supplying (the state is providing one reader). Initially, I was told by a representative of the vendor that it would probably not be compatible. We use two readers, they are only supplying us with one. Even with two it was 6:30 a.m. the following morning before we got the election results, so we really need at least two," Six said. The clerk said he didn't have exact costs, but a tabulator could cost $50,000 or more.

Six noted Kanawha County uses punch cards and has been notified the vendor is no longer supplying punch card supplies.

"Under the law, you can continue using your current system with proper education to voters, but what exactly does that mean? You have to have a system whereby the voter is notified immediately if they overvoted or undervoted. That means, at the precinct level, they would have to provide another piece of machinery which is not being purchased by the state, if they want to keep their punch card system," he said.

"Are they going to have to buy a machine at each precinct that costs $5,100 each in Kanawha County that notifies of an overvote, then kicks out the ballot right then? To do that current elections law would have to be changed," he noted.

"I need to find out what the state/vendor is willing to do for Wood County, whether we can get one or two readers, and look at the cost of completely going to touch-screens. The commissioners have to make a decision by Oct. 15," Six noted.

Wood County Commissioner Bob Tebay said the commissioners have not discussed their decision yet, as they were waiting to hear who won the state contract.

"Jamie will come back to talk to us with a plan of what he needs and make recommendations on what we need to have a smooth election process, and we'll talk about it then," Tebay said.

ES&S is based out of Omaha, Neb., and has more than 25 years of experience in the election system business.

"We are thrilled to have a ed vendor who is committed to working with all county clerks and commissioners to make the transition into new voting systems as smooth as possible," Ireland said. "My administration has been working on complying with HAVA (Help America Vote Act) since the day I was inaugurated. Today marks a big step toward final compliance."

The state will buy one handicap-accessible electronic voting machine per precinct for every county to comply with HAVA. Additionally, Ireland will purchase a new optical scan voting system for every county that chooses to use the optical scan system, according to Thursday's announcement. For those counties that wish to convert to an all-electronic voting system, they will be able to borrow up to 50 percent of the total cost of the electronic system from the Secretary of State with an interest-free, five-year payback period, subject to funds availability, according to a press release from Ireland's office.

ES&S has provided election systems to more than half of West Virginia counties throughout the years. In the 2002 and 2004 elections, the firm provided and implemented electronic voting systems in Cabell and Marion counties, which use touch-screen systems.

HAVA mandates the new voting machines must be in place by Jan. 1, 2006. "Although a vendor has been ed, we still have a lot of work ahead of us to meet that deadline," Ireland said. "This office is committed to making that happen."

Ireland's office will mail out packets to each county outlining the company, its products, and prices. Counties are to submit to the Secretary of State their decision regarding what type of voting system they want by Oct. 15.