Commissioners Give Nod To Voting Machine Company
BY DAVID SLONE, Times-Union Staff Writer   29 December 2004

MicroVote General Corp., Indianapolis, received the Kosciusko County Commissioners? approval Tuesday to sell the county new voting machines.

The commissioners voted unanimously to recommend to the county council that the county purchase the voting machines from MicroVote.

The county council may vote on the purchase of the machines at their next meeting, Jan. 13.

Clerk of the Circuit Court Sharon Christner told the commissioners she was able to work with MicroVote to get the price for 158 to 166 machines down to approximately $772,819. The company also may throw in some ?free? items such as upgrades and a printer.

The Help America Vote Act requires that by Jan. 1, 2006, new voting machines must be in place nationwide, with no more punch card or lever systems. If the county follows proper procedure, the federal government will reimburse the county for the purchase of the equipment up to approximately $600,000.

Christner also told the commissioners she received the final results from the state on the survey of the county?s polling places. The survey checked to see if the polling sites were compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act and the HAVA. The county has until December 2005 to meet the requirements. If the standards aren?t met by March 2006, the county may have to return some of the election money provided by the state.

Of the 47 polling sites in Kosciusko County, only 10 met the criteria.