http://www.wishtv.com/Global/story.asp?S=1712213&nav=0Ra7LXSW
March
15, 2004
Johnson County Demands
Answers From ES&S
By
Eric Halvorson and Loni Smith McKown
The
Indiana election commission bailed out a company called Election Systems and
Software (ES&S) on Wednesday.
ES&S
had installed illegal software in touch-screen voting machines used by three
Indiana counties last November. On Friday night, Johnson County's election
board met with ES&S officials to get guarantees that obligations will be
met.
Johnson
County election board members agreed to authorize a change in voting machine
software for the May primary. “I think
we're still in a stupor here as far as moving forward,” said Jill Jackson,
Johnson County clerk. But they have to
wait until ES&S meets state election commission requirements.
“We
do need to work out the language, but we just assume that won't be an issue,”
said Toby McClamroch, ES&S attorney. That
language is for a $10 million performance bond that will cover any problems or
legal expenses that crop up in the May primary.
“Can
you tell us that ES&S is going to do everything they can comply? That
they're going to comply?” Jill Jackson asked ES&S officials.
Compliance
also means a test next week of software illegally used in the November
election. “We'll run some votes, print some results. We'll verify that
everything's correct,” said Robb McGinnis, ES&S.
But
the clerk doesn't trust them. Neither do the members of the Indiana election
commission.
“I
just think I was absolutely lied to by your CEO and I'm more than on the slow
burn about it. I think you guys sat in this room and you all lied to me,” said
Brian Burdick, Indiana election commissioner, to ES&S at a meeting on
Wednesday. Commissioner S. Anthony Long angrily told ES&S Vice President
Ken Carbullido that he would fine ES&S if he
could have done so.
“I
think quite frankly that ES&S took a whipping the other night and I think
that they earned that,” said Jackson regarding the heated meeting on Wednesday.
“God
forbid we have a problem in Senator Borst and Brent
Waltz's district in Johnson County or something like that where we're all lined
up to get sued, all because you derelicts couldn't get your act together,” said
Burdick.
“I
think that the state election commission shares a lot of the same concerns that
the Johnson County election board has,” said Jackson.
”Everything
that we've done today is directed at making sure that the election goes
smoothly, that it's certified, that it's accurate, and that the voters, every
voter in Johnson County has their vote count,” said J. Bryan Nicol, Johnson County election board.
“The
Johnson County election board attorney Steve Huddleson
and the Johnson County attorney Joe Pitcher have been put on notice and they
are paying very close attention to these proceedings,” said Jackson.
“I
know if I were county attorney you'd be served tomorrow. And not only would you
be sued, you'd be leasing equipment from your competitors to have in place in
those counties which they liked,” said Burdick.
On
March 17, state election officials will get a demonstration of the touch-screen
voting machine with the software used last November. Clerks in Johnson, Henry,
Wayne and Vanderburgh Counties are hoping everything will go smoothly. The I-Team will be there and report what happens.
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