By DAVE SCHULTZ
The Wells County Election Board will ask the Wells County Council, once again, to foot the bill for new voting panels.
The cost of the new equipment, which is the device that voters actually use to cast a ballot, will be $200,000. County Clerk Beth Davis, who is a member of the election board, said she asked the council last year for the money and was turned down.
She’s hopeful this time they’ll say yes — not for this year, when there may be only one contested race on the county’s election calendar, but for 2024, when a number of county, state, and federal offices will be at stake.
The old equipment is 20 years old.
“The new equipment is so much better and up to date,” Davis said. “It’s amazing to see how much things have improved over the past 20 years.” She was also concerned that the equipment could break down in next year’s voting.
Roy Johnson, the Republican member of the election board, who attended the meeting remotely, suggest that Davis ask a representative of the county’s election vendor, MicroVote, to join her when she goes back to the council.
“It may help, because they’re the people we have to persuade,” Johnson said.
Davis said MicroVote offers a two-year payment plan, which would allow the county to acquire the equipment now and pay for it this year and next.
The three election board members — Davis, Johnson, and Larry Sell — all voted in favor of Davis representing the board in front of the board to ask for the funding.
In other business:
• The board took notice of two vacancies being filled by appointments — James Bowman to the Harrison Township Advisory Board and Paul Miller to the Poneto Town Council.
• Davis said the public test of election equipment was a success and a certificate was sent to the state. The ballots that will be used in the vote centers were also approved.
• The board will meet on Friday, May 12, 10 days after the primary election, to certify the vote total and review any challenged votes.
daves@news-banner.com
