10-23-2013 Council Agenda - Laserfiche WebLink

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Kathy Glanzer From: Mansky, Joseph <Joseph.Mansky @CO.RAMSEY.MN.US> Sent: Friday, May 17, 2013 10:34 AM To: Kathy Glanzer Cc: Joel Hanson Subject: RE: cost estimate for new voting system - 2014 Budget Joel and Kathy our voting system is essentially a computer designed to read ballots and compile results. It has a design life of around 12 years. Our first optical scan voting system was used from 1988 to 2001. This year will be the 13th year of use for our current voting system. We expect the new system will last a similar time period and our plan would be to use it through 2027. Since the system is technologically obsolescent, we are unable to get some of the replacement and spare parts we need to keep it going. The software that is used to administer the system and program the ballot counters is over 10 years old and cannot be updated without state certification, which the vendor is not planning to pursue. It runs on Windows XP and I believe it is the only county application that does. In addition, the accessible ballot marking device that we are required by state and federal law to provide to each polling place has been a challenge to maintain and keep operational. Finally, the change to central processing and counting of absentee ballots in the aftermath of Coleman — Franken has created a need for use to use equipment that can count a large number of ballots at a central location. We will be ok this year, maybe next, but that would be about it. We have about $524,000 is state grant funds that we can apply to the purchase of a new voting system. Our deadline for doing so is March 2014. If we don't use the grant money by then, we have to return it to the state. Other counties are in a similar situation. Hennepin County just authorized a $5 million purchase of new voting equipment, effective this year. Dakota, Anoka, Washington and Scott are all planning to do the same, either this year or next. Sorry for the long- winded response, but that's where we are at. Let me know if you have any other questions about this. 23