Bartholomew County to consider new voting machine panels

Bartholomew County election officials are planning to upgrade aging voting machines at a cost of about $350,000.

County Clerk Shari Lentz updated the county council on upcoming plans to request money for the new voting machines. She said the current voting machine panels, while functional are already 10 years old. When purchased in 2015 as an upgrade, they had an expected lifespan of 10 years. She said they are showing signs of wear and age. The upgraded machines would have brighter screens and buttons that line up better with the ballot.

Lentz said that she has been in contact with the supplier Microvote and been assured that the machines will still work with existing peripherals such as the vote verifying printers. She said ideally, the county would purchase 125 of the voting machines that would go into each of the county voting centers.

Lentz also said that the price tag was before any tariffs were added to the price because stock was already on hand. If the county acted soon they could lock in the price now by making a down payment and extend payments over several years. There would be no interest on the purchase, she said.

Lentz said that there is some money available already in the election equipment funds that could be used for a down payment. County Auditor Pia O’Connor pointed out that the county election board has its own tax rate on tax bills and the money would not come from the county’s general fund.

Lentz said she would prefer to have all of the new machines in place before next year’s elections. O’Connor said she would work with Lentz to put together a proposal, possibly as early as next month’s County Council meeting.