Thursday 28th March 2024

Birdwell discusses aging election equipment; election filing begins Nov. 3

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Barren County Clerk Helena Birdwell inspects a document while helping a customer from a window installed at her office during the earlier months of the COVID-19 pandemic. 
(WCLU NEWS FILE PHOTO)

GLASGOW, Ky. — Election equipment used by the Barren County Clerk’s Office is aging, and Clerk Helena Birdwell is seeking to obtain new equipment.

Birdwell was present at an Oct. 19 meeting of the Barren County fiscal court. Most of the county’s voting machines are 12 to 16 years old, the clerk said.

The “e-slate” machines do not print a paper ballot, which is problematic when an election necessitates a recount.

“The new equipment would make us a 100% paper county,” Birdwell said. “That’s so important today with reference to the integrity of the election and the ballot process for our voters.”

The Kentucky State Board of Elections has met regularly and possible funding to purchase new election equipment could be offered in the coming months. Birdwell said the discussions have proposed funding ranging from $2,100 to $5,000 per precinct.

“We just don’t know,” Birdwell said. “There may be another special called meeting between now and November.”

Birdwell’s office saw unprecedented challenges during the primary and general elections in 2020. One adaptation drastically reduced polling locations.

The Barren County Board of Elections has decided to use “voting centers” during future elections. Barren County previously had 26 precincts, including the absentee votes. While 26 locations will not be used in the upcoming election year, the funding would still apply to 26 precincts regardless of the reduced voting location availability, Birdwell said.

“We have to purchase the equipment and then request a reimbursement through the State Board of Elections,” Birdwell said.

Birdwell was at Tuesday’s court meeting to seek approval for bond issuance to fund the purchase of new voting machines and accompanying equipment. The county plans to purchase the new equipment from Harp Enterprises, Inc., a Lexington based election services company.

The company quoted the cost of new election equipment and the recycling of an old HVS voting machine at $172,012. The cost for the equipment alone totaled $169,337. The recycling cost is quoted at $2,675.

The fiscal court approved the request to begin the bidding process for the new election equipment.

The 2022 election in Barren County will include county and city office races such as mayor and county judge executive. Filing begins Nov. 3.

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