NEW BALLOT SCANNER PROPOSAL FOR WOODBURY COUNTY

AN INCREASE IN ABSENTEE VOTING DURING THE RECENT PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION HAS CREATED A NEED FOR FASTER BALLOT COUNTING TECHNOLOGY.

WOODBURY COUNTY AUDITOR PAT GILL SAYS THERE WERE SO MANY ABSENTEE BALLOTS THIS YEAR, HIS STAFF NEEDED EVERY MINUTE LEGALLY ALLOWED TO COUNT THEM:



WRITE-IN BALLOTS ALSO CAUSE THE CURRENT SCANNING MACHINES TO STOP, SLOWING THE VOTE TABULATION:

GILL IS PROPOSING THAT THE COUNTY PURCHASE A MODERN SCANNER AT A COST OF 100-THOUSAND DOLLARS DURING THE NEXT FISCAL YEAR TO MAKE THE BALLOT COUNTING PROCESS FASTER AND MORE EFFICIENT.

HE SAYS THE CURRENT VOTING SOFTWARE IS COMPATIBLE WITH THE NEW SCANNER.

COUNTY SUPERVISORS WILL DISCUSS THE ISSUE DURING THEIR BUDGET SESSIONS IN JANUARY.