Voting machines must be replaced
October 19,2005
BY Charlie Hall
New Bern Sun Journal Staff

BAYBORO - Pamlico County had no ballot-counting glitches in the 2004 election, but the county still will have to scrap about $108,000 worth of voting machines.

Commissioners expressed their displeasure Monday night with the legislature's Aug. 26 law that requires counties statewide to use machines with a paper trail back-up.

Even with about $106,000 in state money to buy a requested 39 new machines and software, the county still must ante up about $50,000.

Working with a current budget that was cut to the marrow amid tight economic times for the county, the board will have to find revenue to pay for the new machines.

The new law came after 4,438 votes were lost in Carteret County and other glitches around the state left other races in doubt in 2004.

"I think the state is asking for something almost impossible," Chairman Doug Brinson said of the statewide demand.

"We haven't had a glitch like Carteret County," he added.

Commissioner Christine Mele echoed the frustration.

"There are 2,741 precincts (in the state)," she said. "It just ticks me off that out of all those, one precinct making a mistake has resulted in this."

Vendors supplying the machines have until Nov. 4 to make bids, with a decision on a one-year state contract coming Dec. 1. Public demonstrations will follow with commissioners getting their chance to view the options, with a Jan. 20 deadline to purchase.

"The period of time to see these (machines) for the first time and to make a decision is incredibly short," Mele said. "I am very reluctant to make that kind of decision in a month."

The new system must be in place by November 2006, but local elections boards are required to hold a test before the general election. Pamlico County will test the machines in the May 2006 primary.

"(Machines) are going to be required to have the same price across the state," said Deborah Todd, Pamlico County elections director. "The richer counties can't get it at a different price than the smaller counties."

The state is providing $96,000 toward the anticipated $150,000 costs, along with $10,000 for software. That is based on $12,000 per precinct equipment allotment, and $1 per 2004 voter turnout for software, with a $10,000 minimum.

Todd explained that the minimum 39 machines were warranted for Pamlico County because of the need for one-stop machines, as well as backup machines for the eight precincts. One of those 39 machines is the elections office supervisor terminal.

One-stop machines for early voting have ballot results stored and cannot be reused for the general election.