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LISBON -- The Columbiana County Board of Elections wants to open up its doors to the public this summer to give voters peace of mind before using the new voting machines at the polls this November.
Earlier in the year, the board bought new voting equipment from Election Systems and Softwares LLC, replacing machines that have been in use for the last 15 years. The change raised some concern with local voters as the purchase came shortly after accusations of fraud in the 2020 presidential election made national headlines.
During their Wednesday meeting, board chairman David Johnson said there have been claims of the machines containing a modem or some other way to connect to the internet, which he says is completely false, as well as illegal, according to deputy director Bryce Miner. It has been against state law for voting machine to connect to the internet since 2006. Johnson said the board wants to clear up any confusion or concern surrounding the machines.
"There is no modem, and we really want to make that clear. There is no way for this equipment to connect to the internet or any other server or system," Johnson said. "We need to dispel that. The public has a right to know that we've done our due diligence. There are all kinds of checks and balances and there is no way anyone can rig the election."
Director Kim Fusco said that along with secure machines, there is a trail that follows every vote, and every step after the vote is cast is well documented.
Fusco said she plans to hold an open house in late July at the board of elections office in an effort to be as transparent as possible with Columbiana County voters. Fusco said they might hold a second open house as we get closer to the general election and she plans on collaborating with representatives from ESS. The board recognizes that the switch to new machinery is an adjustment and Miner acknowledges and understands the fact that the public has questions.
"I think all of us can fully appreciate and respect the public's thoughts on this, which is why it's important that we have an open house over the summer for transparency and to get everyone acclimated to it," Miner said.
A date for the open house is still to be determined.
In other business, the board was presented with a packet from Fusco outlining their plan for voting precinct consolidation. The board has not taken any action on the plan yet, but the consolidation would take the precinct count from 87 to 73, which Fusco says is a drastic change.
Miner said the consolidation would save the county $13,000 annually in election-related costs. Having less precincts would cut down the amount of manpower needed to run the election which is something that the county struggles with, according to Miner.
The plan is still in the discussion phase but should be ready for public viewing in June.
lnickel@mojonews.com