October 18, 2005

"County supervisors to consider purchase of new voting system"

"Purchase of a new voting system to help the county meet federal mandates regarding disabled voters is on the agenda today before the Board of Supervisors.

County Clerk Gail Pellerin is recommending the county negotiate to buy a system from Sequoia Voting Systems at a price not to exceed $2.3 million.

The plan is to place one-touch screen machines that accommodate voters with disabilities — by using audio for the blind or a sip-and-puff tool that enables quadriplegics to cast a ballot, for example — in each precinct while also using a new paper ballot for other voters.

While the county mulls new machines to accommodate the disabled, it faces a lawsuit regarding the accessibility to the buildings where those machines will be used.

Attorney General Bill Lockyer sued the county Monday seeking a court order to force the county to make sure buildings that serve as polling places meet state and federal disabled access requirements."

You can read the full story here.

Posted by Randy Riddle at October 18, 2005 08:57 AM