Decision close on election equipment (3/9/04)

Jay and other counties around the country don’t have a choice: They’ll have to dump the current punch-card voting system by the 2006 elections.

But after the second presentation in as many weeks from a voting system salesperson, Jay County Commissioners now have a choice to make regarding the new system they’ll buy.

The commissioners, who will make the final choice after input and a recommendation from Jay County clerk Jane Ann Runyon, looked at an optical scan system using paper ballots with fill-in circles as well as a touch-screen system on Monday.

Dana Pittman of Fidlar Election Company, which supplies and maintains the county’s current system, told Commissioners Gary Theurer, Mike Leonhard and Milo Miller Jr. that many counties currently using punch-card ballots are switching to an optical scan system because they have a paper trail that can be used if results are questioned.

Two weeks ago, the commissioners reviewed a push-button video system offered by MicroVote General Corp.

Runyon said Monday that the initial cost for the optical scan system — about $140,000 — is less than either of the other options, including about $300,000 for Fidlar’s touch-screen system.

But she said that it appears the ongoing cost of maintenance and printing of ballots would be much lower with MicroVote, which quoted a price of about $240,000 for its push-button system.

At least $67,000 of the cost of replacing the voting system — and likely much more — will be paid by federal grants that were created as part of election reforms stemming from the disputed 2000 presidential race in Florida.

A drawback to the optical scan system, which would require the purchase of one large scanning (counting) unit for each polling site, is handicap accessibility. Beginning in 2006, new accessibility requirements will take effect — requiring the purchase of at least one accessible touch-screen or similar unit for each polling site and bringing the total cost to more than $220,000.

The commissioners, Runyon and Jay County auditor Freda Corwin conducted a mini-mock election using the optical scan system demonstrated by Pittman. Using a paper ballot and felt-tip markers, votes were cast by filling in ovals next to names on the ballots.

The counting unit, which consists of a scanner with a memory card on top of a large heavy plastic ballot box, caught several intentional errors made on the ballots — including voting for more than one candidate in races that required a vote for just one candidate.

Leonhard, Theurer and Miller said they liked the optical scan system — especially because it left a paper trail — but didn’t like the bulky units.

Miller, who has said several times he favors paper ballots, asked his fellow commissioners and Runyon, “Do we need a paper trail? Is (a computer record) going to be enough to satisfy the (candidate) who’s mad?”

Also Monday afternoon, the commissioners approved an amendment to a contract offered to employees of Jay Emergency Medical Service who wish to be trained as paramedics.

The agreement calls for the county to pay the cost of the training in exchange for the employees’ promise to work at least three years for JEMS.

If the employee drops out or fails the course, the money — more than $3,000 — must be re-paid.

The change made Monday added language stating that employees will have four chances to pass a test to become certified as paramedics. After that, the money must be repaid.

One of the six original JEMS employees to take the course has not passed the test after five attempts. That employee will not and can not be asked to re-pay the course fee.[[In-content Ad]]