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BOE seeks funds to upgrade system
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Posted on Dec 21 2000
The Board of Elections is hoping to receive some $120,000 from the Legislature to buy electronic equipment that will scan ballots and get poll results faster than the manual counting that has been the practice eversince.
BOE Executive Director Gregorio C. Sablan said he has been assured by lawmakers that they would appropriate the money in the FY 2001 budget so that his office could purchase it as soon as possible.
Called the optical mark reader, the machine costs about $50,000 and is manufactured by the Omaha-based Electronic Software and System.
This has been in place on Guam for the last 15 years and in Palau during its last three elections, according to Mr. Sablan. Over 2,000 election districts in the U.S. mainland are using the same system.
“I will introduce accuracy and efficiency in our electoral process, particularly in counting the votes,” the BOE chief told reporters in an interview.
He stressed the outcome of the polls, particularly gubernatorial and general elections, can be known in less than two hours, unlike in the past when results come in trickles.
Mr. Sablan said the CNMI will need two machines at a cost of $105,000 to have one back-up in case the other one malfunction, adding maintaining and operating them will not burden the government.
The balance of $15,000, he explained, will be used to pay for airfare and accommodation of a specialist who will train employees of BOE to operate the equipment.
But this will only be a one-time expenditure since it will be much easier afterward to operate and maintain them at no extra cost.
“We have to make a decision by this month whether or not to get them,” said Mr. Sablan.
Senate Fiscal Affairs Committee chair Sen. Edward U. Maratita has assured him that they would include the appropriation in the budget deliberation currently ongoing with the House.
The senator said the Senate is committed to fund the project, adding he will be asking his House counterparts to approve the appropriation.
The bicameral conference underway in the Legislature is expected to hammer out a budget deal by next week, but Gov. Pedro P. Tenorio still has to approve the proposal from lawmakers.
