As previously reported on Conduit Street, funds have been provided in recent budget years to begin the process of planning and procuring a new optical scan voting system. Legislation for the State to move back to an optical scan system passed in 2007; however, cost containment forced the State to delay moving forward.

Now that the process is moving, Center Maryland’s Damian O’Doherty interviews ES&S’s Senior Vice President of Government Relations Kathy Rogers about their voting system, how they preserve the integrity of the process, and meet the needs of all voters.  ES&S is the nation’s largest voting technology company. They are located in 40 states and 60% of voters use their equipment.

The State Board of Elections (SBE) has estimated that planning and implementation of the system from fiscal 2013 to 2018 will cost at least $46.8 million.  Counties governments are on the hook for half of this cost. The new system is to be in place for the April 2016 presidential primary.