$2M needed for ballot scans
U.S. funds cover only part of Hamilton County bill

By Kimball Perry    Cincinnati Enquirer    29 October 2005

When the federal government ordered modern voting systems, it provided Hamilton County with $8.4 million to pay for them.

The problem is, the new machines will cost more than $10 million.

"This is what's called an unfunded federal mandate," said county Board of Elections director John Williams.

He will ask Hamilton County's commissioners at a Monday meeting to provide the additional $2 million needed next year to pay for the voting machines.

The request comes at a time when commissioners are trying to cut costs and are looking for a budget next year that is no larger than the current one.

"We have kept them informed that there was this pill coming," Williams said of commissioners.

Earlier this year, Hamilton County's Board of Elections voted to spend $10 million on a new optical-scanning system so the 573,000 registered Hamilton County voters can vote in compliance with the Help America Vote Act. The federal legislation was passed after the 2000 presidential elections, in which many paper ballots were questioned.

The optical scanner systems replace the punch-card system in use in Hamilton County for 31 years.

The scanner system requires a voter to darken ovals on a paper ballot and then the ballot into a scanner.

It is planned for use beginning next year, likely for the spring election in May.

"I'm still negotiating with the vendors," Williams said.