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HomeMy WebLinkAbout5E Replacement Election Equipment Report 4646 Dakota Street SE Prior Lake, MN 55372 CITY COUNCIL AGENDA REPORT MEETING DATE: JANUARY 11, 2016 AGENDA #: 5E PREPARED BY: JANET RINGBERG, ACCOUNTING SPECIALIST PRESENTED BY: DON URAM, FINANCE DIRECTOR AGENDA ITEM: CONSIDER APPROVAL OF A RESOLUTION APPROVING THE PURCHASE OF REPLACEMENT ELECTION EQUIPMENT DISCUSSION: Introduction The purpose of this agenda item is to consider approval of a resolution approving the purchase of replacement election equipment. History In 2000 the City of Prior Lake, along with all other municipalities in Scott County, acquired election equipment for precinct ballot tabulation and assisted voting. The equipment’s life expectancy was approximately twelve years. During the 2012 presidential election Scott County experienced several issues with equipment jam- ming and miscounting ballots which lead to precinct totals not balancing. County staff spent many hours on election night assisting with the balancing process to ensure accuracy which led to a delay in reporting election results. It became evi- dent that the equipment had come to the end of its useful life and needed to be re- placed by the next presidential election (2016). Current Circumstances In February 2015 Scott County partnered with Dakota County in the request for proposal (RFP) process. The RFP outlined the scope of work required for the pro- ject and was based on Scott and Dakota County’s requirements. A voting system replacement team, consisting of Scott and Dakota County staff, compiled a set of functional and technical requirements for the equipment that included the following :  Meets all statutory requirements including all certifications  Automates as much of the process as possible  Secures access  Provides for election night reporting for the county website  Facilitates reporting for balancing, auditing, and submittal to the state  Assures tabulator security with an auditing component  Addresses all aspects of voter needs and requirements  Includes remote transmission of results  Anticipated useful life  Equipment dependability  Warranty provisions Four vendors responded to the RFP. Dakota and Scott Counties conducted demonstrations independent of each other so that each county could invite city and township clerks to the demos to receive their feedback. 2 Scott County brought back the top vendor for a mock election in which all Scott County staff, city and township clerk were invited to participate. Scott County staff, with input from city and township clerks, determined Dominion Voting Systems equipment met or exceeded the other systems in addressing the voting equipment needs identified above. Dominion Voting Systems has been in existence since 2003. They currently serve 1,200 counties and municipalities nationwide with their new and legacy voting so- lutions. Both Scott and Dakota Counties have opted to purchase equipment from Dominion Voting Systems. Along with the precinct ballot counting equipment pur- chased by each city and township, Scott County is purchasing the software, firm- ware and service contracts needed to support the whole election process. Conclusion The city council should ask questions about the proposed replacement equipment if appropriate. ISSUES: Election equipment is one example among many where the county, townships, cities, and school districts should be using the same equipment. In our case two counties have cooperated attempting to benefit from standardization as well as economies of scale. If there is a “downside” to this cooperation it is that if one entity replaces its equipment, all entities must do so. In this case however, we concur that the dependability of our now 15+ year old equipment is no longer ac- ceptable. Scott County is integral to the election process for the City of Prior Lake. They as- sure the equipment is maintained, order parts and service, program the equip- ment, secure the ballots and test them. On election night all results are provided to the county and their staff assists each entity in reporting and assuring that the pre- cinct results for each of the races, local, state and national are appropriately ad- ministered. The new precinct ballot counters have the most up to date technology which in- cludes the ability to transmit election results directly from the precinct locations, re- ducing the wait time to post election results, potentially by hours. As the city coun- cil is aware, this has been a problem in the past. This new voting equipment also incorporates the statutorily required assisted voting module right in the ballot coun- ter so there will no longer be a need to acquire two separate pieces of equipment. FINANCIAL IMPACT: The 2015 budget included funding for the purchase of election equipment in the amount of $75,000.00. This was the best estimate on the cost of the equipment since the RFP process had not yet been completed. Based upon the RFP process, the actual cost of each precinct ballot counter is $8,475.00. Ten ballot counters are needed ( eight for existing precincts, one for an anticipated ninth precinct and one as a spare or to serve a potential tenth precinct.) at a total cost of $84,750.00 which includes a memory card, a case for storing and transporting the equipment, and a ballot box for securely storing cast ballots on election day. 3 In 2000 we shared part of the price for the equipment with the school district. We had hoped the same would be the case this time. The district is not charged capi- tal costs by Savage and so could not support financial participation for this equip- ment. We completed a survey of other cities and found that only one received a capital contribution from the corresponding school district. ALTERNATIVES: 1. Motion and second as part of the consent agenda adopting a resolution authorizing the purchase of replacement election equipment. 2. Deny the purchase of new ballot counter election equipment and provide staff direction regarding election administration. RECOMMENDED MOTION: Alternative #1. http://splash/teams/am/October 4 2010/01 11 2016/Election Equipment Purchase Resolution.docx 4646 Dakota Street SE Prior Lake, MN 55372 RESOLUTION 16-xxx A RESOLUTION TO CONSIDER APPROVAL OF THE PURCHASE OF NEW ELECTION EQUIPMENT Motion By: Second By: WHEREAS, As part of the 2015 budget, the City Council allocated funds for the purchase of new election equipment, and WHEREAS, The useful life of the City’s current election equipment has ended , and WHEREAS, Scott County will only support new election equipment, and WHEREAS, Ten precinct ballot counters are needed in Prior Lake. NOW THEREFORE, BE IT HEREBY RESOLVED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF PRIOR LAKE, MINNESOTA as follows: 1. The recitals set forth above are incorporated he rein. 2. Staff is authorized to purchase ten ballot counters from Dominion Voting Systems at a cost of $8,475.00 each. 3. The funds for the purchase of new election equipment will be drawn from 101 -41410.00-52400.10. PASSED AND ADOPTED THIS 11th DAY OF JANUARY 2016. VOTE Hedberg Keeney McGuire Morton Thompson Aye ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐ Nay ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐ Absent ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐ Abstain ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐ ______________________________ Frank Boyles, City Manager