Title
Resolution to Accept and Approve a Grant from the Michigan Department of State for New Election Day Vote Tabulators and Accessible Ballot Marking Devices from Hart InterCivic through Funding from the Help America Vote Act ($355,256.78) and to Approve Acquisition of Additional Equipment and Supplies ($106,200.00)
Memorandum
Attached is a resolution to accept and approve a Michigan Department of State grant for new Election Day equipment acquired from the County-selected vendor, InterCivic. The resolution also requests approval of acquisition of additional equipment to meet the City allocation of equipment and back-up equipment needs.
Budget/Fiscal Impact: No matching funds are required under the grant award. The County Clerk will be covering the full cost of implementation and training that is not covered through the grant. The City Clerk planned and budgeted for matching funds anticipated for the implementation of new voting equipment in the approved FY18 General Capital Fund. Since the State has determined it will not require matching funds for this grant, sufficient funding for the additional equipment and supplies is available in the approved FY18 General Capital Fund.
Through a competitive RFP process, the Michigan Secretary of State approved three vendors to provide new voting equipment for the State of Michigan, including vote counting tabulators and accessible ballot marking devices. The grant-funded equipment will replace the City’s existing AccuVote tabulators and AutoMARK accessible ballot marking devices, and will be purchased by the Secretary of State using the State’s remaining federal HAVA funds and other State appropriated funding. The State authorized Michigan’s County Clerks to select their preferred vendor from the following approved vendors: Election Systems and Software, Dominion, and Hart InterCivic. ES&S is the current vendor of the AutoMARK and Dominion is the vendor of the AccuVote. Hart is new to Michigan.
The Washtenaw County Clerk Elections Division notified the City Clerk’s Office that the County Clerk has selected Hart InterCivic as the new election equipment vendor for the County. Hart’s Verity Scan will replace the City’s AccuVote tabulators beginning with the November 2017 City election. The County Clerk has indicated that with the transition to Hart, Election night results reporting will be faster and the new software will allow ballot programming to be done in-house, eliminating vendor costs. Hart was also chosen based on its ease of use for voters and election inspectors. The technology is new and modern. The equipment is covered with full warranty and maintenance for five years. The City will be responsible for maintenance costs beginning in year 6.
Under the grant, the City will receive 58 tabulators, which includes five tabulators for absentee vote counting and four tabulators for the City’s planned precinct expansion to 53 precincts. The City Clerk’s Office is requesting the purchase of an additional 15 tabulators to allow for a more realistic allocation of equipment to November General Election AV counting boards and to plan for spare/back-up equipment as well. The State grant will also provide 40 accessible ballot-marking devices for use by individuals with disabilities, replacing the City’s current AutoMARK devices. The allocation of the accessible units is based on polling location, not precinct, so in some cases one unit is shared by two precincts in the same location (e.g. Michigan Union, Pioneer H.S., etc.). The City Clerk’s Office is requesting funding for the procurement of an additional three spare accessible units as well. The cost of the addition tabulators and accessible units is $88,500.
Washtenaw County is also providing the City with one battery charger to charge up to six units at once. The City Clerk’s Office is requesting funding for five additional battery chargers and other supplies and equipment needed to implement the new tabulators.
The City Clerk’s Office is requesting that City Council authorize the City Clerk to accept and sign the grant on behalf of the City after approval by the City Attorney and City Administrator.
Staff
Prepared by: Jacqueline Beaudry, City Clerk
Reviewed by: Tom Crawford, Chief Financial Officer
Reviewed by: Mary Joan Fales, Assistant City Attorney
Approved by: Howard S. Lazarus, City Administrator
Body
Whereas, The Michigan Secretary of State has issued an RFP for new Statewide Voting Equipment Systems and authorized Michigan’s County Clerks to select voting equipment for their counties among three approved vendors;
Whereas, The City Clerk’s Office has been notified by the Washtenaw County Clerk Elections Division, that the County Clerk has selected Hart InterCivic as the new election equipment vendor for Washtenaw County;
Whereas, A grant agreement is required between the State of Michigan and the City of Ann Arbor to enable the Michigan Secretary of State to purchase the equipment on the City’s behalf using federal HAVA funds;
Whereas, The City will receive 58 tabulators and 40 accessible ballot marking devices, which includes 5 tabulators for absentee vote counting and 4 tabulators for the City’s planned precinct expansion to 53 precincts;
Whereas, No matching funds will be required under the terms of the grant;
Whereas, The City Clerk has determined that the purchase of an additional 15 tabulators and 3 accessible units will allow for a more realistic allocation of equipment to November General Election AV counting boards and to plan for back-up equipment;
Whereas, The City Clerk budgeted in anticipation of State requiring matching funds for implementation of new voting equipment in the approved FY18 General Capital Fund budget and those funds are available for the procurement of the additional equipment and supplies needed; and
Whereas, The new voting equipment will improve the accuracy and transparency of vote tabulation in the City of Ann Arbor, including faster tabulation of write-in votes and improved speed of Election night reporting;
RESOLVED, That City Council authorize the acceptance and approval of a $355,256.78 grant from the Michigan Department of State for new vote tabulators and accessible voting units from Hart InterCivic, through Funding from the Help America Vote Act;
RESOLVED, That City Council authorize expenditure of $125,000.00 for the purchase of 15 additional tabulators, 3 additional accessible ballot marking devices and other necessary supplies and equipment needed to implement the new technology, including battery chargers, transport cases, memory cards and other consumable supplies; and
RESOLVED, That the City Clerk be authorized to execute the grant agreement on behalf of the City of Ann Arbor after approval by the City Attorney and City Administrator.