CEC prepares for runoff; plans to get ballot printer

The Commonwealth Election Commission is planning to use a new ballot printing machine that can print up to 50,000 ballots per election in case there will be a gubernatorial runoff race this November, CEC executive director Robert A. Guerrero disclosed yesterday.

He admitted, though, that it is a challenge right now how to get the machine here by air from the Election System and Software’s office in Nebraska.

“We want to get it here at least a couple of days before the elections so we can set it up,” said Guerrero, who went to Nebraska last week where they coded all five tabulation machines and discussed with the company the idea of bringing to the islands the ballot printing machine.

The CEC executive director said the five-year rental for the machine is $3,000, but they are still figuring out how much the shipping cost is.

If none of the four gubernatorial teams garner at least 50 percent plus one of the votes cast, then there will be a gubernatorial runoff race.

Guerrero said that after the election results are certified and if there will be runoff race, they would need to print 20,000 to 21,000 ballots.

After printing the ballots, they would have to send the absentee ballots in two to three days after certification.

CEC already printed 22,000 ballots in Alabama for the general election. As of Oct. 2, 2014, there are 17,996 registered voters in the CNMI, including absentee voters.

Guerrero said that after this year’s election, they can use the printing machine for the succeeding general and runoff elections.

Guerrero said they just found out this year that Election System and Software, a Federal Election Commission-certified company that provides election materials during U.S. elections, has a new machine that can print ballots.

“So we are trying to see the feasibility of getting that here on time, not for the general election but the runoff, if there will be one, so we can print out ballots,” he said.

The executive director said he is hesitant to print out the ballots locally because it has to match with the way the tabulation machine is programmed.

“So one little error there, the machine won’t even read the ballot,” he said.

Guerrero said if they can get this printing machine, the company will do all the programming and all they have to do is press the button to print the ballots here.

“It fits our situation,” he added.

Guerrero said if they order the ballots for the runoff election from the U.S. mainland, it will take three to four days to get them here at the fastest.

He said they explained the situation to the company and it recommended using the printing machine.

“Right now, the way we are planning is, we’re planning a hand count for the runoff. So we’re hoping to get the machine in time for the setup and programming. And we can print out ballots right after the certification of election if there is a runoff,” Guerrero added.