Title
Resolution to Approve a Purchase Order for New Election Day High-Speed Absentee Ballot Vote Tabulator from Hart InterCivic ($127,140.00)
Memorandum
Attached is a resolution to accept and approve a purchase order for new Election Day Absent Voter Count Board high-speed tabulation equipment acquired from the City’s existing vote tabulator vendor, Hart InterCivic. The total cost of the equipment is $157,140.00 and the State of Michigan is making a direct payment of $30,000.00 to the vendor to help offset the cost and ensure local clerks are prepared to tabulate the anticipated high number of absent voter ballots in November. More than 30,000 absentee ballots were requested for the August 4 Primary and this number is expected to increase again in November. Many factors, including the pandemic, and the approval of “no-reason” absentee voting, has led to more and more voters choosing to safely and securely vote early and at home in advance of Election Day.
Over time, the acquisition of the high-speed equipment is expected to reduce labor costs and time for counting ballots. The August Primary saw a record high of 75 election inspectors in the counting boards, in order to manage the number of ballots received and the time to process them through traditional tabulators.
Budget/Fiscal Impact: $50,000 was budgeted in the Clerk’s FY21 budget and the State of Michigan will be making a direct payment to the vendor in the amount of $30,000.00. No grant award or pass-through is required for this payment. The remaining total due of $77,140 will be budgeted and paid to the vendor in FY22 and FY23.
Approval of this resolution will ensure acquisition of the equipment prior to the November 3 Presidential Election.
Staff
Prepared by: Jacqueline Beaudry, City Clerk
Reviewed by: Kim Buselmeier, Budget and Finance Supervisor
Reviewed by: John T. Fournier, Assistant City Administrator
Approved by: Tom Crawford, Interim City Administrator
Body
Whereas, The City Clerk’s Office has seen an increased demand for absent voter ballots, due to the passage of Proposition 18-3, “Promote the Vote” and the promotion of no-reason absentee voting due to the COVID-19 pandemic;
Whereas, More than 30,000 requests for absent voter ballots were received in advance of the August 4 Primary election;
Whereas, The City’s current voting equipment is at capacity for the processing of absent voter ballots in a timely manner, including time, labor and physical space;
Whereas, The Michigan Secretary of State has committed $30,000 towards the purchase of a high-speed vote tabulator for the City of Ann Arbor;
Whereas, The Washtenaw County Clerk previously selected Hart InterCivic as the vendor for County election equipment, including vote tabulators accessible voting terminals and high-speed equipment; and
Whereas, $50,000.00 has been budgeted in the approved FY21 City Clerk’s Office budget for the initial payment to the vendor;
RESOLVED, That City Council approve the purchase order for new Election Day high-speed vote tabulator (Hart Verity Central) and related equipment from Hart InterCivic ($127,140.00);
RESOLVED, That the City Administrator and City Clerk be authorized to take all necessary actions to implement this resolution, including entering into a three-year payment plan with Hart InterCivic; and
RESOLVED, That the City Council accept and approve the payment of $30,000 from the State of Michigan to Hart InterCivic on behalf of the City of Ann Arbor.