County Reaches $2M Settlement with Voting Machine Company
July 28, 2005 
By Loni Smith McKown

I-Team 8 has learned the Marion County Election Board has reached a more than $2 million settlement with an Omaha-based company.

I-Team 8's ?Will Your Vote Count" investigation uncovered numerous problems with Indiana's new voting machines and Election Systems and Software, the company that makes them.

Marion County has wrestled with ES&S over ballot design, uncertified software that helps tabulate your votes, customer service and questionable business practices since the 2003 general election.

Thursday, the company agreed to several terms to avoid a lawsuit for breach of contract and lack of customer service. It will pay a ?service credit" of $750,000 cash to the county election board, cover the cost of printing kits for electronic voting machines for the disabled at another $750,000, and it will also reimburse all legal expenses incurred with the 2003-2004 ballot format litigation at $217,000 in cash along with other concessions.

Clerk Doris Anne Sadler told I-Team 8 she's pleased the issues are resolved.