Counties receive reprieve on buying voting machines
J.D. Prose, Beaver County Times 12/08/2005
 
BEAVER - County officials throughout the commonwealth can breathe a little easier now that the Pennsylvania Department of State has determined they don't necessarily have to purchase new voting machines by Dec. 31, but can follow the law by passing a resolution.

A Monday memo from Harry VanSickle, the commissioner of the Department of State's Bureau of Commissions, Elections and Legislation, instructed county officials that they can meet federal requirements by either signing a contract with a voting-machine vendor or having the county commissioners pass a resolution by Dec. 31 obligating funds for new machines.

The Beaver County Commissioners will likely pass such a resolution at their regular meeting on Tuesday.

Brian McDonald, a spokesman for the Department of State, said the memo was part of the department's "all-encompassing effort" to ensure that counties comply with the federal Help America Vote Act.

Counties across the nation must meet requirements under HAVA to have federally approved systems in place by next year's primary elections.

So far, McDonald said, no counties in Pennsylvania have purchased new voting machines, and only Luzerne County has passed a resolution obligating money.

In October, Beaver County officials brought five touch-screen machines to the courthouse for public review. Of those, Accupoll from Unisys is certified with restrictions while the Patriot from UniLect Corp. has been denied certification. The state has yet to issue opinions on the three remaining systems.

Beaver County is now part of a 10-county regional consortium organized to increase counties' purchasing power.

The commissioners said Beaver County - which will receive $1 million under HAVA for voting machines - might get a better deal with the consortium, and the counties can share information and equipment because they will have the same system.

The counties have named a committee - Elections Director Dorene Mandity is Beaver County's representative - to review the systems available and make a recommendation.

Besides Accupoll, the state has certified ELECTronic 1242 from Danaher and Hart Intercivic's eSlate system