County awaits word on HAVA directive
NORWICH – Chenango County Board of Elections Commissioners expect to learn on Friday how much remains in its set-aside Help America Vote Act account.
The money will most likely be needed for the purchase of 29 handicapped accessible voting machines by September.
Although a decision is still in the hands of a federal court judge, Democratic Commissioner Carol A. Franklin said each polling site in the county would “most likely” be mandated to offer the new machines. The county was already required to purchase a one-time-use, handicapped-accessible machine in 2006 at a cost of $7,000.
At the time of purchase, Chenango County Safety & Rules Committee Chairman Alton Doyle, R-Guilford, commented, “That’s like throwing the $7,000 into a hole. We’ve never had handicapped voters in the county express a concern about their voting rights.”
As a result of the 2005 Help American Vote Act, control of general election voting procedures shifted legally from the municipal level to the county level in 2006. However, because the New York State Board of Elections failed to certify a new machine, local officials have been left in limbo. The federal government sued in late 2006 and the state was ordered to submit a plan for complying with HAVA by Jan. 4, 2008.
In his decision, U. S. District Court Judge Gary Sharpe ruled that federal law preempts state law. “Non-compliance is not an option ... and accessibility has to be the primary objective of the plan,” he said last week.
Stephen J. Acquario, the executive director of the New York State Association of Counties, said he is concerned that county property taxpayers would eventually be impacted.
“The state’s inability to implement the election reforms and Judge Sharpe’s decision are likely to put all of our county governments in the difficult position of having to purchase both temporary ballot marking devices and then later buy the HAVA-compliant election machines. The limited amount of federal funding (nearly $200 million) will not cover the costs of both of these actions,” he said.
“With our property taxes at an all time high, we do not need another mandate forced on to the backs of New York’s already beleaguered property taxpayers. County governments and county property taxpayers cannot afford and should not pay for the State’s inaction.”
A representative in the Albany-based Office of General Services, the go-between for Chenango County and the state, said balances would be e-mailed to individual counties tomorrow.
The money will most likely be needed for the purchase of 29 handicapped accessible voting machines by September.
Although a decision is still in the hands of a federal court judge, Democratic Commissioner Carol A. Franklin said each polling site in the county would “most likely” be mandated to offer the new machines. The county was already required to purchase a one-time-use, handicapped-accessible machine in 2006 at a cost of $7,000.
At the time of purchase, Chenango County Safety & Rules Committee Chairman Alton Doyle, R-Guilford, commented, “That’s like throwing the $7,000 into a hole. We’ve never had handicapped voters in the county express a concern about their voting rights.”
As a result of the 2005 Help American Vote Act, control of general election voting procedures shifted legally from the municipal level to the county level in 2006. However, because the New York State Board of Elections failed to certify a new machine, local officials have been left in limbo. The federal government sued in late 2006 and the state was ordered to submit a plan for complying with HAVA by Jan. 4, 2008.
In his decision, U. S. District Court Judge Gary Sharpe ruled that federal law preempts state law. “Non-compliance is not an option ... and accessibility has to be the primary objective of the plan,” he said last week.
Stephen J. Acquario, the executive director of the New York State Association of Counties, said he is concerned that county property taxpayers would eventually be impacted.
“The state’s inability to implement the election reforms and Judge Sharpe’s decision are likely to put all of our county governments in the difficult position of having to purchase both temporary ballot marking devices and then later buy the HAVA-compliant election machines. The limited amount of federal funding (nearly $200 million) will not cover the costs of both of these actions,” he said.
“With our property taxes at an all time high, we do not need another mandate forced on to the backs of New York’s already beleaguered property taxpayers. County governments and county property taxpayers cannot afford and should not pay for the State’s inaction.”
A representative in the Albany-based Office of General Services, the go-between for Chenango County and the state, said balances would be e-mailed to individual counties tomorrow.
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