But after months of equipment demonstrations, discussions and comparisons, the county board of elections could not decide this week between a $860,000 paper ballot and scanning system from manufacturer Clear Ballot or a $1.8 million hybrid touch-screen/printed ballot system from Election Systems and Software.
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The board split on party lines against purchasing the paper ballot system. Chairman Dave Fisher, who motioned to buy the paper system, and fellow Democrat Audrey Gillespie voted in favor, while Republicans Rob Long and Ryan King voted against.
Long said his “no” vote came with the caveat that he would be willing to reconsider after learning more about available equipment at the state elections officials conference next month.
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In a letter, county commissioners told board members they were “adamant that our voting process does not go backwards to a paper ballot system.”
But Gillespie said she could not pay for the nearly $2 million digital system “so I have the convenience of touching it and having it print for me.”
King said he agrees equipment is needed but would not rush into a decision with continuing changes in equipment offerings and a new secretary of state taking office in January.
Deputy elections director Ian Ridgeway said the board is charged with making the system decision. In some types of board decisions, if the board deadlocks, the decision then goes to the secretary of state.
“We need to really make a decision on what direction we need to go,” Fisher said. “This needs to be done sooner rather than later.”
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