County Clerk
Election Study Group Report
IX. Other Options (#2, 3, 4)
The study group strongly believes that the previous recommendation best addresses the issues identified in the problem statement and the problem background. However, recognizing that the study group recommendation might not be acceptable to commissioners court, we want to outline other possible options to be considered. The considered options are listed in the order the study group ranked them. (See Comments from Study Group Members for a list of members and their choices.)
Option #2:
Purchase 1,350 direct record electronic (DRE) systems for both early voting and election day with a rolling technology upgrade clause that allows for automatic update of the equipment and software.
Option #3:
Purchase 150 direct record electronic (DRE) systems for early voting and 250 precinct ballot counters (PBCs) for election day, with a rolling technology upgrade to allow for automatic update of the equipment and software.
Option #4:
Purchase 250 precinct ballot counters (PBCs) for election day, with a rolling technology upgrade to allow for automatic update of the equipment and software.
All options assume the early voting by mail program will be handled with optical scan paper ballots and counted on existing optical scan ballot counting equipment.
Brief Explanation of Options
Option #2, purchasing 1,350 direct recording electronic (DRE) systems for both early voting and election day with a rolling technology upgrade clause that allows for automatic upgrades, also addresses many of the issues detailed in the problem statement.
- Accuracy. The direct recording electronic (DRE) voting system addresses intent of voter issueby not allowing a to create an overvote in first place. audit is handled precinct voter.
- Timeliness of results. Precinct election results can be electronically transferred from the precinct or substation to the central counting station.
- Accessibility. Some DRE systems have a component to address secret ballot voting by visually impaired voters and some are fully accessible. Fully accessible DREs are not included in the cost analysis (see page 16 for information on cost options for adding ADA/independent voting DREs).
- Growth. DREs should provide adequate accommodation of a growing voter population.
- Paper ballot. The DREs use no paper ballots saving approximately $38,000 - $57,000 per election in early voting ballot costs.
Approximate cost of Option #2: A quantity of 1,350 DREs is suggested for countywide early voting In person and election day voting. Cost is dependent of vendor and type of DRE purchased.
Range of $5,500,000 to $9,000,000
Will save approximately $89,000 - $140,000 per election in operation, administration, and ballot costs, depending on the size of the election.
Option #3, (similar to the recommendation with no replacement of election day PBCs with DREs), purchasing 150 direct record electronic systems for early voting and 250 precinct ballot counters for election day with a rolling technology upgrade clause that allows for automatic upgrades, also addresses many of the issues detailed in the problem statement.
- Accuracy. The direct recording electronic voting system addresses the intent of the voter issue by not allowing a voter to create an overvote in the first place. Using the precinct ballot counter at the polling place, the election day voter feeds the optical scan ballot directly into the optical scanner. The PBC will reject the ballot if it detects overvotes or stray marks that could be read as overvotes. The voter has the final audit of his/her own ballot before the ballot is counted. Therefore, the initial intent of the voter audit is handled in the precinct by the voter.
- Timeliness of results. Precinct election results can be electronically transferred from the precinct or substation to the central counting station.
- Accessibility. Some DRE systems have a component to address secret ballot voting by visually impaired voters and some are fully accessible. Fully accessible DREs are not included in the cost analysis. The PBCs do not address accessibility issues.
- Growth. DREs and PBCs should provide adequate accommodation of a growing voter population.
- Paper ballot. The PBCs use the traditional optical scan paper ballot currently being use by Travis County. The DREs use no paper ballots.
Approximate cost of Option #3: A quantity of 150 DREs for early voting and 250 precinct ballot counters for election day is suggested. Costs are based on retail price quotes. No quantity discount figures are currently available.
$600,000 for 150 early voting DREs
$1,885,750 for 250 election day PBCs
$2,485,750 total cost
Will save $40,000 - $64,000 per election in operating, administration, and ballot costs, depending on the size of each election.
Option #4, purchasing 250 precinct ballot counters for election day, with a rolling technology upgrade to allow for automatic update of the equipment and software, addresses some of the issues detailed in the problem statement.
- Accuracy. Using the precinct ballot counter at the polling place, the election day voter feeds the optical scan ballot directly into the optical scanner. The PBC will reject the ballot if it detects overvotes or stray marks that could be read as overvotes. The voter has the final audit of his/her own ballot before the ballot is counted. Therefore, the initial intent of the voter audit is handled in the precinct by the voter.
- Timeliness of results. Precinct election results can be electronically transferred from the precinct or substation to the central counting station.
- Accessibility. The PBCs do not address accessibility issues.
- Growth. PBCs should provide adequate accommodation of a growing voter population.
- Paper ballot. The PBCs use the traditional optical scan paper ballot currently being used by Travis County.
Approximate cost of Option #4: A quantity of 250 Precinct Ballot Counters for Election Day is suggested. Costs are based on retail price quotes. No quantity discount figures are currently available.
$1,885,750 for 250 Election Day PBCs
$1,885,750 Total cost
Will save approximately $3,000 - $6,000 in operation and administration costs per election.
Other Cost Considerations
Don't Forget Ballot by Mail
The early voting by mail program must utilize a voting system compatible with the early voting in person and election day voting systems. Keeping the same system platform allows seamless production of election returns through one election reporting software system.
- If Travis County stays with the current vendor, two of the current optical scan machines could be utilized to process ballots received by mail. Also available is "Ballot on Request" software, which would allow each ballot requested by a mail application to be printed individually. The software is $495 and ballot stock is $.10 per ballot. A pre-printed optical scan ballot is $.23, producing an up-front savings of $.13 per ballot. In addition, blank ballot stock would be bought in bulk and utilized over several elections, eliminating the current waste problem over the purchase of printed ballots for the by-mail program.
- Other vendors have specific optical scan, paper ballot equipment that integrates with their vote counting system and reporting software to address ballot by mail requirements.
Trade-in Existing Equipment
If a new voting system is purchased for Travis County, at least two vendors have expressed willingness to accept the county's current optical scan machines in trade as part of the purchase. Trade-in value is estimated at $10,000 per machine. In addition, Travis County would no longer be paying the extended warranty cost of $12,000 per year.
- return to Recommendation
- continue on to Study Group Comments
