County will go to paper ballots in general election
Out with the new and in with the old.
The county commissioners on Tuesday voted to recommend the purchase of a paper ballot voting system to replace the electronic version that has been used in the county for several years.
Gov. Tom Wolf mandated that all counties purchase new voting systems from a state-certified vendor that includes a paper ballot.
The mandate was made after the federal Department of Homeland Security determined Pennsylvania was among 21 states targeted by Russians for voter hacking in the 2016 election. New systems must include a paper recording of each vote.
The commissioners recommended the county buy the voting system from Election Systems and Software of Omaha, Nebraska for $991,000.
The 10-year cost — which includes maintenance, paper and printing costs, accessories and other costs — is $2.3 million.
Because all three commissioners are running for re-election in 2020, a substitute election board appointed by the commissioners will vote on making the final purchase of the system, solicitor Julie Graham said.
Graham said County Court Judge William Shaffer will approve the appointees, who will then act in the commissioners' stead and approve a vendor.
This is an excerpt — pick up Wednesday's Butler Eagle to read the full article.
