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LISBON -- A recent hand count of ballots representing 5 percent of the ballots cast in the Nov. 7 general election matched the official results 100 percent in Columbiana County.
The county board of elections certified the results of the post-election audit Tuesday, finding that the 1,642 ballots counted by hand for both State Issue 1 and State Issue 2 accurately matched the numbers from the official tally, as did the 1,839 ballots counted by hand for the Columbiana County Educational Service Center Governing Board race.
"All results were accurate 100 percent in the hand tallies," Board of Elections Director Kim Fusco said.
Each county is required to perform a post-election audit by hand as a means to test accuracy. Fusco said staff members, both Democrat and Republican, performed the hand count of the required number of ballots in an hour and a half.
"I'm real proud of the staff," she said.
In other business, the board approved the purchase of work station computers and a laptop from Salem Computer Center for $10,873. Deputy Director Bryce Miner explained that the current computers used by the staff are out of warranty and the county received $10,000 from the state through the Help America Vote Act grant through a security directive. The purchase covers eight desktop computers and one laptop.
Quotes also came from CDW-G at a cost of $11,109 for seven computers and from Selectus Consulting at a cost of $9,183 for six computers.
Miner said Salem Computer Center offered the lowest unit price, enabling them to get more for their money, plus the hardware has a five-year warranty. The cost to the county will only be $873 after applying the grant money, which has already been appropriated.
He added that it was "important to us to keep the computer purchase local."
"I don't think we can go wrong with Salem Computer," board Vice Chair Patricia Colian said.
Fusco reminded board members that the filing deadline for partisan candidates, local questions and issues for the March 19 primary is Dec. 20 and they have to certify those petitions by Jan. 2. A tentative meeting is set for 1:30 p.m. Dec. 27 to do that. The write-in deadline for the March 19 primary is Jan. 8.
Also discussed was the election officials conference and classes and the election administration plan.
Candidates who have filed so far for the March 19 primary include Katelyn Dickey for judge of the 7th District Court of Appeals in Youngstown. Dickey is currently a Columbiana County Municipal Court Judge. Running for re-election are 79th District state Rep. Monica Robb Blasdel, Columbiana County Common Pleas Court Judge Megan Bickerton, Commissioner Roy Paparodis, Prosecutor Vito Abruzzino and Sheriff Brian McLaughlin. All are Republicans.