Luzerne County is seeking proposals for new electronic poll books at election polling places, although no decision has been made on whether they will be purchased.
County Administrative Services Division Head Jennifer Pecora said recently the solicitation is part of information gathering so county officials have solid cost estimates needed to determine how to proceed.
Used for voter sign-in at polling places, the current system was purchased by the county for $325,000 from Election Systems & Software in 2018. The electronic books are intended to speed up voter processing and allow poll workers to instantly search and redirect voters who show up at the wrong polling place.
The election bureau had switched from electronic poll books to paper ones in the November 2022 general election, with staffers saying the electronic ones were reaching their end of life and had created problems for some poll workers wrestling with technical issues.
However, the county’s five-citizen election board unanimously voted to activate the electronic books for the Jan. 31 special election because fewer devices were needed in that senatorial race, which covered only 18 of the county’s 76 municipalities.
County Election Operations Manager Emily Cook said she was not aware of any issues with the electronic books in the special election, but it was a small election.
Vendor testing of all equipment would be necessary to determine if the books can be deployed in the upcoming May primary election, she said. If any issues are detected, the bureau would need assistance because workers are not trained on the inner workings of the devices or how to fix them, Cook said.
In addition to problems with batteries, the existing books are outdated and not as user-friendly and easy to set up as new models, Cook said.
County Election Director Eryn Harvey said she advocates the purchase of new books depending on the cost and availability of funds.
Based on her research, Harvey said many of the poll book batteries are losing their power, and she does not know if a sufficient quantity can be made operational for the primary.
“I know they’re not in great condition. A lot of parts have died and need to be replaced,” Harvey said.
Harvey does not like paper poll books, saying poll workers struggled to direct misplaced voters to the correct polling places in the November general because that information would have been at their fingertips with the electronic poll books.
Even if the county ends up purchasing new poll books, it’s unclear if the bureau would have enough time to get them ordered and implemented for the primary, Harvey said.
Electronic poll book suppliers must submit their proposals by Feb. 27, according to the posting under the purchasing department at luzernecounty.org.
According to the request-for-proposals, the county needs electronic poll books for approximately 186 polling locations that must easily integrate with the county’s existing voting system from Dominion Voting Systems Inc.
Proposers must recommend the number of poll books needed by the county based on the number of precincts, approximate number of voters within the county (currently 195,542) and applicable state laws.
Among the other requirements, according to the solicitation:
• A file format to transfer data from Pennsylvania’s Statewide Uniform Registry of Electors (SURE) voter registration system, which will be the source of voter information loaded into the electronic books.
• System approval by the Pennsylvania Department of State.
• Itemized costs for each poll book, the required accessories, such as a stylus and stand, and any approved software needed to program, manage, update and maintain the electronic books.
• Documentation of security testing on the system.
• Ability to provide training to poll workers and election staff.
In addition to providing information on the warranty period, the submitted price must include all required service and maintenance for five years from the date the system is received by the county. Vendors also must provide detailed pricing to provide service/maintenance an additional five years.
Proposers must agree to hold pricing through the end of this year.
Space is provided in the submission form for vendors to respond to 39 questions about their system.
While serving as acting election director last November, election bureau Deputy Beth McBride asked council to consider allocating an estimated $500,000 for new poll books.
Another option would be continued use of paper poll books with the addition of a secure phone app that allows poll workers to search voting locations for voters at the wrong polling place, McBride had said. The app would cost $30,000 to $40,000 annually and also serve as a “command post” for poll workers to report the status of polling place openings and closings, obtain checklists and report issues, she had said.