Need more proof that the vendors have made elections expensive? The folks in Vigo Co Indiana find themselves having to hold a special election for mayor of Terre Haute, a city of over 44,000 voters. The county would probably pay for the election and then be reimbursed by the city. The last municipal election the county paid for cost $580,000. The cost for one race in the city would probably be something less than that.

Why so much? The county pays ES&S to manage the voting machines. What would happen if the county or city just decided to print the ballots and hand-count them? Well, the ballots would cost around $0.05 per ballot or around $3500. The cost to hand-count those ballots, based on the cost to hand-count ballots in WA in the 2004 gubernatorial hand-recount would probably be less than $10,000. Why is it that we have these vendors involved in making our elections much more expensive than they should be? ...

• Featured - IN: Vigo County - Election officials face possible special election after ruling
  http://www.tribstar.com/...cal_story_318230207.html
• National: Machine Problems Worsened 2008 Voting Woes
  http://www.alternet.org/...rsened_2008_voting_woes/
• National: Voter-rights advocates hope that this year they've won
  http://www.centredaily.com/505/story/962551.html
• FL: Alachua County - Time to double-check those voting machines
  http://www.gainesville.c...ck_those_voting_machines
• FL: Broward County - Defeated challenger to Broward County elections chief is arrested
  http://www.sun-sentinel....4sbnov14,0,3933640.story
• FL: Duval County - Election: Positive records
  http://www.jacksonville....1408/opi_355652669.shtml
• GA: Early voting starts Nov. 19 in Floyd County for runoff; Gordon starts early voting today
  http://news.mywebpal.com...0/public/news935114.html
• GA: Laurens County - Early Voting Could Begin On Tuesday
  http://news.mywebpal.com...tegoryID=19667&on=0
• KY: Calloway County - Election's main complaint was with machines
  http://www.murrayledger..../13/top_story/news02.txt
• KY: Hardin County - Some results called ‘tainted’
  Recanvass verifies original election winners
  http://www.thenewsenterp...cal+20081113204353053016
• MN: Franken seeks names of rejected voters
  SENATE RECOUNT: Franken sues for lists of voters whose absentee ballots were disqualified.
  http://www.startribune.c...Yyc:aULPQL7PQLanchO7DiUr
• MN: Opinion - Recount: What to expect, not expect
  http://www.fergusfallsjo...-what-expect-not-expect/
• MN: Outsiders to observe recount, but GOP objects to one of the watchdogs
  http://www.minnpost.com/..._to_one_of_the_watchdogs
• NC: Craven County - Revised numbers add to turnout in Craven election [ES&S failures]
  http://www.enctoday.com/...tml/election_county.html
• NJ: Move to delay voting paper trail advances
  http://www.dailyrecord.c...01/811140335/1123/NEWS02
• NJ: NJ bill would nix voting machine retrofit deadline
  http://www.forbes.com/fe...008/11/14/ap5695390.html
• NJ: New Jersey Secretary of State Supports Voter Verified Paper Record Legislation
  http://www.govtech.com/gt/articles/560525
• NJ: Provisional-ballot results are expected in Middlesex County
  http://www.nj.com/news/i...lballot_results_are.html
• OH: Franklin County - Ballot-count suit could tip results
  http://www.dispatchpolit...ec=politics&sid=101
• TX: Dallas County Republicans protest provisional ballot rulings in Texas House race
  http://www.dallasnews.co...ballotboard.3ad4fd9.html
• VA: Goode, Perriello race still remains unended
  http://www.greene-news.c...l_remains_unended/31295/
• WA: As votes dribble in, Pierce County still counting
  Pierce County vote counting continues. But it may take another week to learn who wins some races.
  http://www.thenewstribun...om/331/story/537262.html
• Washington DC: Cheh Digs In Heels On Voting Software
  Smooth Elections Don't Erase Concerns
  http://www.washingtonpos.../14/ST2008111400917.html

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Article Categories: ES&S, Daily Voting News, Election Reform, Indiana, Paper Ballots Legislation