The Callaway County Commission voted Friday to approve the purchase of 28 new voting machines from Elkins-Swyers, a Springfield-based company, contingent on the warranty.
Elkins-Swyers was the only company to bid, which came in at $143,300 with two payment options. The first option was to pay back the total over a three-year span at 50 percent the first year, 30 the second and 20 the third. The second option was to pay the total up front at a 10 percent discount. The commission opted for the latter, making the total cost $128,970.
The Callaway County Clerk's Office will front $70,000 from its election services fund, which has a total of $88,000. County Clerk Denise Hubbard said she didn't want to "bleed it dry" and save some money for upcoming election expenses. Western District Commissioner Doc Kritzer said the remaining $58,970 will come out of the county's contingency fund, which is designated for unexpected expenses. Kritzer said the 10 percent discount made the offer "very attractive."
Despite receiving one bid, Hubbard and the commission assessed comparative prices to ensure they were comfortable with their purchase.
"We don't take any purchase lightly," he said.
The machines will cut the county's total number of voting machines in half as one new machine serves the functions of two current machines - as a ballot submission box and voting machine for those with American Disabilities Act (ADA) requirements. Ballots for ADA and non-ADA voters will look identical with the new machines - something Hubbard said was very important to her to ensure the privacy of all voters.
A new voting machine will be stationed in each of Callaway's precincts for all four elections in 2016, and there will be two ready as back ups.
The new machines were used once (during the November election) elsewhere. Because of the one-time usage, the machines were offered at a lower rate.
Commissioners requested Hubbard find out the details of the warranty before the purchase is finalized. The commission also decided not to buy an extra set of memory packs. The March and April 2016 elections are three weeks apart and there was fear that wouldn't be enough time for Elkins-Swyers to program memory packs for the machines which carry ballot information. The state legislature voted in a past session to change the presidential primary election from February to March.
"I've got to believe it's got to be possible," Presiding Commissioner Gary Jungermann said. "I hate to have an extra set to be used only once every four years."
One memory pack per machine costs $150, meaning the county would spend an additional $4,200 for memory packs used once every four years for presidential primary elections.
"I'm excited about the purchase," Hubbard said. "The new machines are a good value for the county citizens."
In addition to the warranty, the purchase comes with training for staff and election judges, services on election day, memory and battery packs and background materials.