Breaking News: Elections bureau finalizes warranty deal for voting machines
By Michael P. Buffer, CitizensVoice Staff Writer 10/16/2007

WILKES-BARRE - The Luzerne County Bureau of Elections has finalized a warranty deal with Election Systems & Software, the provider of the county's touchscreen voting machines.
 
County Director of Elections Leonard Piazza was disgusted in July with an offer that would cost more than $320,000 for a three-year warranty. At Tuesday's election board meeting, Piazza said the bureau has agreed to a four-year deal that costs $60,550.

Piazza said he expects to get the $60,550 from federal grants. The county last year spent more than $2.4 million in federal money to buy 750 touchscreen voting machines from Election Systems & Software. The purchase came with a one-year warranty.

Under the new warranty, the county will pay shipping and labor costs to fix whatever breaks. The annual fee would be $8,650 for the rest of this year and $17,300 for the next three years. Piazza plans to place $25,000 into escrow each year to cover repair costs.