NATCHEZ, Miss. (March 7) – The Board of Supervisors voted today to buy new voting machines to replace those Natchez-Adams County has used since 2005.
The county’s 17-year-old devices often break down, said Adams County Election Commissioner Larry Gardner.
“We’ve been spending thousands of dollars a year, and we’re having more and more of these machines break down during an election cycle,” Gardner said.
He noted about 16 of the county’s old machines are in need of repairs.
In his request made last month to the county board, Gardner said the new vote-casting-and-tallying devices will use paper ballots to be scanned rather than the touch-screen computers Adams County voters have been using to pick candidates.
About $95,000 in state funds is available for Adams County to buy new ones. The county would have to pay what more is needed for the new voting machines.
The trend is to revert back to paper ballots for scanners to read like those of the past rather than the touch-screen devices, according to a report presented to county supervisors. About 35 Mississippi counties have already modernized their voting systems.
The board approved purchasing the new machines now to ensure Adams County has them in time for the June 7 congressional party primaries. Party nominees, along with nonpartisan judicial candidates, will face off in the Nov. 8 general elections.
Gardner said county election officials have selected Election Systems & Software from the bidders wanting to sell voting machines to Adams County. Nebraska-based ES&S provides auditable, paper-based voting systems.
A state Senate-passed bill would provide grants to help counties modernize their voting systems. Senate Bill 2879 is now being considered by the House of Representatives.
On this year’s election ballots will be candidates for seats in the U.S. House of Representatives and judgeships for the state Court of Appeals, district circuit courts, district chancery courts and county courts.
The election will have Adams County in a new congressional district. The state Legislature earlier this year moved it to the U.S. House district represented by Bennie Thompson. He has no Democratic challenger in the June primary. Four Republicans are bidding to be the candidate facing Thompson in November’s general election.
The only contested Adams County judicial race is for the post currently held by Circuit Court Judge Debra Blackwell. She’s being challenged by Adams County Justice Court Judge Eileen Maher and Natchez attorney Tim Blalock.
Adams County Circuit Court Judge Lillie Blackmon Sanders is unopposed as are Adams County Chancery Court judges George Ward and Vincent Davis. Adams County Judge Walt Brown is also unopposed.
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