The county election board wants nothing to do with the vendor that failed voters and misled election officials last year, and the board plans to tell the county commissioners that today during yet another special joint meeting.
The three-member Johnson County Election Board on Tuesday voted 3-0 to recommend to the Johnson County Board of Commissioners that they not take a hybrid approach during this year’s elections, allowing local election vendor RBM Consulting to run the primary and municipal elections using Election Systems and Software’s equipment, software and licenses.
The commissioners considered that option during a special joint meeting on Monday because it would be cheaper than renting all new equipment and services from RBM this year before spending more than $1 million to buy all new equipment next year.
[sc:text-divider text-divider-title=”Story continues below gallery” ]Click here to purchase photos from this gallery
Election Board members had different opinions about whether the county should switch vendors entirely, or continue to use ES and S for its voting machines and services.
But ultimately, the decision whether to switch vendors is up to the commissioners. They already decided to switch electronic pollbook vendors, and those have been ordered. Now they’re deciding — again — whether to switch vendors entirely, or stick with ES and S for at least part of this year’s elections. They’re expected to make a final decision today, three weeks before the ballots have to be set and six weeks before early voting begins.
Election Board attorney Dustin Huddleston said he told the county’s IT specialist Scott Henry about the possibility of a hybrid approach, and Henry told him that would cause a lot of problems.
“I can’t see that ever working — the hybrid plan. We have to urge strongly that they don’t consider that,” Election Board member Phil Barrow said.
The county has not heard back from ES and S on its second request for the the company to sell its software and licenses to the county for another vendor to use. It’s not likely they will hear back before the meeting on Wednesday, Huddleston said, so the commissioners are going to have to make their final decision without having an answer from ES and S.
They already voted earlier this month to switch vendors for both the e-pollbooks and machines and services, but RBM’s price has since more than doubled, in part due to ES and S’s initial refusal to sell the software and licenses needed to run its machines. County officials are now questioning RBM’s business ethics due to the unexpected price hike.
Election Board member Cindy Rapp wants to stick with ES and S for this year’s elections, she said again during Tuesday’s Election Board meeting. She tried to get that recommendation to a vote, but it failed because neither Election Board member Phil Barrow nor Johnson County Clerk Trena McLaughlin would second her motion.
“I really do want to stick with ES and S at this point,” Rapp said. “I just think we’re getting so close now. I have real worries that this will affect the voters and that we’re going to be in such a time crunch — new machines, new training, new everything — and we’re really getting into a time when we should be doing other things. So I would recommend we stick with ES and S. We know what we’re going to get. It’s just through the end of the year.”
“I can’t second that. I’m sorry,” McLaughlin said. “With ES and S, we did have a lot of big issues last year … There were several things that happened. They didn’t obey Indiana law on several things. If they can do that with their e-pollbooks, who’s to say they’re not going to do something with their machines?”
Barrow agreed with McLaughlin. But it’s not just about the equipment, he said. ES and S’s integrity is in question, Barrow.
“They’ve got problems all over the country. We’ve all read about them. They’ve got serious problems with the Indiana Secretary of State, and they’re still investigating them,” he said. “Personally, I question if they’re going to exist in the future, and that’s why I’m scared to stick with ES and S.”
The board settled on its initial recommendation to encourage switching vendors entirely.
“I think that we’re going to pay for this on Election Day. It’s going to be very difficult to be prepared with new machines, new workers, new everything, and you’re going to have to inform the public. I’m just afraid the voters are going to pay for this,” Rapp said.
“We’re on the spot. Either decision we make could be dangerous,” Barrow said.
“Well, but I feel confident with ES and S. I really do,” Rapp said.
“Well, I’ve lost my confidence,” Barrow said.
[sc:pullout-title pullout-title=”If you go” ][sc:pullout-text-begin]
WHAT: Special joint meeting of the Johnson County Commissioners and Election Board
WHEN: Noon today
WHERE: Johnson County Courthouse – West Annex, 86 W. Court Street, Franklin
WHY: To make final decisions regarding election vendors for this year’s municipal elections
[sc:pullout-text-end]
