FAIRFIELD — The 2015-16 Solano County grand jury determined the purchase of an expensive mail-ballot sorter in August was justified and fits into the need to stay current with changing technology and long-term planning.
The report, one of three released Thursday, also commended the Registrar of Voters for utilizing grants to offset the costs of capital expenditures.
The only criticism was that the keyboard to the Elevate Sorter is not adjustable and is intended to be used only while standing. The workstation also was set up for someone who was about 5 feet 8 inches tall.
“The Registrar of Voters should seek to resolve this issue,” the report states in its recommendations.
John Gardner, the assistant registrar of voters, said the elections office will look into that matter after the June 7 primary, during which 80,000 to 100,000 mail-in ballots are expected to be processed. That represents about 75 percent of the total anticipated vote.
“We’ve talked to the manufacturer to see if anything can be done. It might be as simple as using a wireless keyboard rather than a wired keyboard,” said Gardner.
He said that no staff member has complained about the workstation.
The sorter was purchased for $482,388 from Bell & Howell. The total included shipping and a five-year maintenance contract, the grand jury report states.
The county received a grant from the California Secretary of State’s Office to off-set some of the cost, including a trip by officials to Durham, North Carolina, to see the machine prior to purchase.
A 65,000-piece test was run by the Bell & Howell staff during that trip. A second test run of the same size was conducted by county staff in February. Representatives from other counties, the public and members of the grand jury attended that test.
May 28, 2016
Fairfield Daily Republic
By Todd R. Hansen
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