The state's 2018-19 proposed budget set aside $134 million in General Fund money to purchase new equipment for county voting systems — including hardware, software and initial licensing to replace existing systems and technology.
"Under the proposal, counties would provide a dollar‑for‑dollar match to receive the state funding. The $134 million estimate assumes that there is a widespread shift by jurisdictions to the new 'vote center' elections model, as authorized by Chapter 832 of 2016 (SB 450, Allen)," the state Legislative Analyst's Office (LAO) report on the budget reads.
The LAO also suggested state block grants in order to further fund the modernization effort.
Several counties have begun replacing voting technology in anticipation of this year's mid-term elections. While all of California's technology will be replaced by 2020, only a few counties are testing out new styles now.
Since 2016, the statehas been researching e-pollbooks and voting systems, and four counties have moved to seek a vendor.
Sacramento County plans to spend $3.8 million over eight years, part of which will be spent on implementing new systems before the primaries in June, county spokeswoman Kim Nava told Techwire in an email. The county will also be using a voting center model instead of neighborhood polling places.
Madera, Napa, Nevada and San Mateo counties will also be using a voting center model — a new style of voting from the Voter's Choice Act of 2016 that has counties mailing ballots to voters, who can drop them at any voting center in their county, over a period of several days.
San Mateo County will spend $500,000 on laptops and ballot printers before the June election, according to Jim Irizarry, assistant assessor-county clerk-recorder. The county is also estimating a price tag of $3 million to $5 million for optical scanners to read paper ballots that will be tested in 2019. Additional cybersecurity resources will also be proposed, according to Irizarry.
Los Angeles County's Registrar-Recorder County Clerk has an open RFP for implementation and support of a new voting system. The RFP is for Phase 2 of the rollout and will close March 2.
Ventura County is considering the replacement of voting hardware and software as part of its capital improvement plan. It includes a request for $4.7 million toward the effort.
