Title:
Procedure for the Purchase of New Voting System
Summary
ACTION:
Receive update on procedure to purchase new voting equipment and systems
Staff Contact: Michael Dickerson, Director of Elections
Presentation: Yes
BACKGROUND/JUSTIFICATION:
Before any piece of election equipment can be used in North Carolina elections, it must be certified by the N.C. State Board of Elections. This ensures that voting systems remain reliable, accurate, user-friendly, accessible to persons with disabilities, and capable of secure operation.
On August 23, 2019 the North Carolina State Board of Elections met and certified 3 vendors' voting systems for use in North Carolina. Prior to approving the adoption of any new voting system by the Board of County Commissioners, the County Board of Elections must witness a demonstration of the voting systems. The current voting system will be decertified on December 1, 2019.
To comply with the legal requirement, the following steps are to be followed:
Step 1: Witness a demonstration of the certified type of voting systems. The demonstration will be organized as part of a public meeting with invitations sent to the Board of County Commissioners, the County Manager, the County Attorney, and the political parties in the county.
Step 2: A preliminary recommendation will be made to the Board of County Commissioners as to which type of voting system should be acquired by the county.
Step 3: The County Board of Elections must instruct the County Board of Elections staff to test the proposed voting system in at least one precinct. The voting system test must take place during an election.
· County Board of Elections staff must notify State Board voting systems staff of its intent to test the recommended voting system.
· The voting systems election management system and the components of the system must undergo Logic & Accuracy testing prior to use in the test election.
· After completing canvass, the county board of elections m...
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