Editorial: Bexar voting system must be dependable
San Antonio Express-News, Web Posted: 04/28/2006

Worrisome problems have cropped up with the Bexar County electronic voting system produced by the Nebraska-based Election Systems & Software.
 
Bexar County will have to resort to emergency paper ballots for early voting, which begins Monday for several area races, because officials have not received needed software from the vendor.

If the county does not receive programming software by May 5, paper ballots also will be in effect for the May 13 election.

"We're in a holding pattern right now," said Bexar County Elections Administrator Jacque Callanen.

That sort of service is unacceptable from a vendor that calls itself "the world's most experienced election management company."

Action must be taken.

Thursday, officials with the Texas secretary of state's office met with ES&S President Aldo Tesi about the situation.

Bexar County spent $8 million on the ES&S system in 2003.

But the costs don't stop there. Each time there is an election, ES&S technicians have to program the system and provide technical support.

For example, the March primary cost $57,000 in programming fees, $4,600 in technical support fees and $31,000 in voice-recorded files for disabled voters.

A $184 shipping fee was charged for the voice-recorded files, despite the fact that they are delivered via the Internet, Callanen said.

Beginning in May 2007, the county's warranty with the company runs out. To extend it, the county will have to come up with $185,000 a year, every year.

That is too much money to pay if the company is unable to hold up its end of the bargain.

Bexar County is not alone in experiencing problems with ES&S.

On April 19, the state of Oregon sued ES&S for breach of contract, contending that it did not deliver materials as agreed.

This is troubling. With a major election looming in November, it's imperative that we be able to rely on the vendor to provide election materials on time and efficiently.