|
Present for the
meeting are members of the Board of Elections, including the
Director of the Board, and the Deputy Director, together with
the Fulton County Board of Commissioners and the County
Administrator.
Commissioner Genter
opened the meeting stating the purpose is to address a Directive
issued by Jennifer Brunner, Secretary of State, to all County
Boards of Elections regarding the mandate of optical scan
ballots for the 2008 elections and the request from the Board of
Elections to establish additional appropriations accordingly.
Commissioner Genter then turned the meeting over the Brett Kolb,
Director of the Board of Elections.
Based on this
Directive, Mr. Kolb presented a report to the Commissioners
giving a cost breakdown of each change that the Directive would
implement as follows:
For the March 2008
Primary:
Voting Booths
(35) $7,000.00
Ballot Boxes
(35) $3,500.00
Ballot Transport
(35) $2,625.00
Provisional
Transport (35) $2,625.00
Provisional Ballot
Boxes (35)$3,500.00
Ballot Printing
(2000) $800.00
$20,050.00
For the 2008
General:
Auto Mark
(17) $85,000.00
Scanner & Ballot Box
(35) $140,000.00
Voter
Outreach $142,500.00
Voting Booths
(115) $23,000.00
High-Speed
Scanner $35,000.00
Ballot Printing
(26898) $10,759.20
$436,259.20
This will result in
a total estimated cost to Fulton County and the taxpayers of
$456,309.20 to become completely compliant by the 2008 General
Election.
Current procedures
and security issues were discussed.
It was noted that
pursuant to the 2000 presidential election, the Secretary of
State directed the counties to go to the electronic voting
system, which cost over $500,000 to become compliant with that
directive. This system has been used a total of 6 times since
implementation. A grant was issued for partial reimbursement of
those costs. There is however, no guarantee that grant funds
are even available to assist the counties with this new
directive.
The Board questioned
the authority of the Secretary of State to enact these laws
without the General Assembly and the Governor and stated that
legislators are taking care of that.
Commissioner Genter
inquired of Mr. Kolb as to his feeling on the County’s current
voting system in Fulton County and if he feels it is safe,
secure, and can be trusted by the citizens of the county for
upcoming elections. The Board of Elections resounded with a
yes.
Commissioner Genter
addressed a letter received by Senator Steve Buehrer echoing
Fulton County Officials in opposing changes to the State’s
voting system.
Commissioner Genter
addressed concerns of the additional costs involved with this
Directive and stated that he is confident that the current
voting system in Fulton County is safe and secure and can be
trusted by the voters of Fulton County for upcoming elections
and that it is his opinion that the Commissioners should not
appropriate any additional dollars to upgrade the system at this
time.
Upon the request of
Commissioner Short, Mr. Kolb demonstrated to the Commissioners
the process involved in an election from beginning to end.
Commissioner Genter
requested questions from the media. He then stated that at the
Board of Elections meeting on Tuesday, they passed a resolution
to present to the Commissioners a request for the additional
appropriations needed to comply with the Secretary of State’s
Directives. Commissioner Genter moved to proceed to a vote on
this request and Commissioner Short seconded the motion.
Commissioner Genter
clarified to the Board that a yes vote would be to appropriate
the additional dollars requested and a no vote would be to not
appropriate the additional dollars.
Commissioner Genter
again stated that he is confident that Fulton county does have a
safe and secure voting system and that the residents of Fulton
County can trust the system that is currently in use in the
County. He further stated that the Secretary of State has
overstepped her boundaries through her directive and that is up
to the General Assembly, together with the Secretary of State
and the Governor to come up with alternative solutions to
elections. In speaking with local legislators, they have
agreed.
Commissioner Genter
asked for any further discussion from the Board and then called
for a vote on the Board of Elections request to approve the
appropriation of additional funds to implement the Secretary of
States Directive.
All in favor – none
All against – Genter,
aye; Barnaby; aye; Short; aye. The request is hereby denied.
A letter will be
drafted to the Secretary of State with a copy of the resolution
denying said request and respectfully declining the Directive
until further notice from the General Assembly. |
