BENTONVILLE -- Benton County's justices of the peace Thursday called on the state to swap the 10-year-old voting machines in use for new equipment from Nebraska-based Election Systems & Software.
The Quorum Court adopted asking the Secretary of State's office to choose ES&S to provide electronic voting machines and equipment for Arkansas' 75 counties. Russ Anzalone , commission chairman, told the Committee of the Whole last week election officials from Benton and Washington counties have agreed they prefer to remain with Election Systems & Software as the state's provider of electronic voting and counting machines and software.
The Secretary of State's Office will choose which voting machines will be used in Arkansas, he said.
Anzalone said Benton County election officials have estimated the county needs 375 of the voting machines from ES&S, along with other equipment, yearly maintenance fees and licensing fees. the estimated cost would be about $1.8 million, he said. Anzalone said the other company election officials considered, Unisyn Voting Solutions, carried a lower estimated cost but those machines have operating features Anzalone said could present problems in casting and counting ballots.
The state has set aside about $30 million for voting machines for all of Arkansas' 75 counties in the budget for next year. Benton County's share could come close to covering the $1.8 million, Anzalone told the justices of the peace last week.
Also Thursday, the Quorum Court declared a vacancy in the office of surveyor. Ronald Ridout, who had served as surveyor since his election in 1977, died March 16. The Quorum Court is required by law to declare a vacancy in office and then name a replacement to serve out the remainder of the term.
The justices of the peace delayed action on naming a replacement at last week's Committee of the Whole because no one applied for the post at that time.
The Quorum Court also approved spending $82,000 for land in Rogers adjacent to the county office building at 15th and Walnut streets. County Judge Bob Clinard said the additional land will give the Rogers offices of the assessor, collector and county clerk, along with the state Revenue Office, another 40 parking spaces.
Clinard said when the building sees its heaviest traffic the 43 parking spaces are inadequate. The justices of the peace also approved another $57,500 in improvements to the building.
In its other business, the Quorum Court authorized the county to apply for two federal grants. One grant is for traffic enforcement programs in the Sheriff 's Office and the second grant, if awarded, could provide federal money for the War Eagle Bridge project.
NW News on 04/24/2015