State & Local Government Policy, Business and Technology

Bill offers Ohio counties 80 percent state funding for new voting machines

The Columbus Dispatch: As county election boards in Ohio scrounge for parts and cross their fingers that aging equipment will hold on for a few more elections, state legislators have started talking about how to help pay for new voting machines.

A bill that would have the state pay 80 percent of the cost of new machines got a first hearing Tuesday. Sen. Frank LaRose, R-Copley, said most machines in Ohio are 12 years old and nearing the end of their life spans, but counties will need help buying new equipment.

“A lot of creativity has been employed by our board of elections personnel throughout the state,” LaRose said. “They’ll show you a lot of duct-tape work going on in the back room.”

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