Liberty County commissioners met in a workshop Sept. 20 to ask questions and to listen to the public regarding a new electronic voting system and tackle the issue of voting centers. They received an earful from both sides of the issue, but resolved nothing. While no voting or decisions could be made by the commissioners during the meeting, there wasn’t even a consensus with one exception — the county doesn’t have the money in its current financial situation to purchase the equipment anyway. So why consider equipment the county can’t afford? The wave to refresh aging voting systems is crossing the state and the country since most are reaching the 11-year-old mark. For Liberty County to wait until it is possibly mandated by the state to convert to all electronic could be costly as current pricing would be elevated because of supply and demand in the market.
Ken Trethewey, director of sales for Hart Intercivic, was on hand to demonstrate the latest voting equipment and to offer the county incentives to purchase before Sept. 30 — a savings amount that equaled a little more than $80,000. An earlier deadline of Sept. 15 would have brought an even larger discount, but put commissioners in the unenviable position of a quick commitment without public input.
County Judge Jay Knight instead offered a second workshop last week and invited everyone present at the meeting to the table to voice their concerns and ask questions.
The attractiveness of voting centers allows registered voters to cast their ballot anywhere within the county on election day, but there’s a caveat. State law does not allow for both electronic and paper ballot voting to be used at voting centers so it’s an all or nothing proposal.
Full Article: Community, commissioners mixed on electronic voting – Your Houston News: News.