Agenda 10/27/2009 Item #16J 5Agenda Item No. 16J5
October 27, 2009
Page 1 of 6
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Recommendation that the Board of County Commissioners adopts and supports the
attached position paper as part of Collier County's 2010 State Legislative Priorities
as requested by the Supervisor of Elections.
OBJECTIVE: To obtain the support of the Collier County Board of County
Commissioners in adopting the attached position paper as part of Collier County's 2010
State Legislative Priorities package.
CONSIDERATIONS: Federal and State legislation mandates that by 2012 a paper
based voting system be in place for persons with disabilities. As a result, each Florida
county will be required to purchase new ADA voting units for the 2012 election cycle. In
lending support to the Supervisor of Elections Office and adopting the attached position
paper as part of the County's 2010 State Legislative Priorities, it is hoped that the
deadline to comply with the Federal and State unfunded mandate can be extended until
2016.
FISCAL IMPACT: Federal and State legislation mandating that a paper based voting
system be in place for those persons with disabilities by 2012 will have a resulting cost to
Collier County in the approximate amount of $687,500.
LEGAL CONSIDERATIONS: This item has been reviewed by the County
Attorney's Office and it does not present a legal issue —SRT.
GROWTH MANAGEMENT INPACT: None
RECOMMENDATION: That the Collier County Board of County Commissioners
supports and adopts the attached position paper as part of Collier County's 2010 State
Legislative Priorities package.
Submitted by: Jennifer J. Edwards, Supervisor of Elections Date: October 21,
2009
- 6kwvG1 iJ, GWwJ
Agenda Item No. 16JI5
October 27, 2009
JENNIFER J. EDWARDS Page 2of6
SUPERVISOR OF ELECTIONS
Leo Ochs, Collier County Manager
3301 Tamiami Trail East, Bldg F
Naples, Florida 34112
i�
Dear .Ochs,
The purpose of this letter is to ask for the support of the Collier County Board of County
Commissioners in adopting the attached position paper as part of Collier County's 2010
Legislative package. The position paper is regarding the current requirement to change our
ADA Voting Equipment by 2012.
It has been mandated by Federal and State legislation that by 2012 a paper based system be in
place for those persons with disabilities. Therefore, each county will be required to purchase
new ADA voting units for the 2012 election cycle. At today's costs, the purchase of the ADA
units for Collier County will be approximately $687,500. By lending support to the Supervisor of
Elections Office and adopting the attached position paper, together we could possibly extend
the deadline of this Federal and State unfunded mandate until 2016.
Please read the attached position paper that identifies the counties and agencies, including the
Florida Association of Counties, that have already joined in supporting this effort. The goal is to
have all 67 counties listed as supporters.
Leo, I want to thank you in advance for your support.
Sincerely,
.I
Je , fer J. Ed ards
Supervisor of Elections
Cc: Board of County Commissioners
Sen. Garrett Richter
Sen. Larcenia Bullard
Rep. Trudi Williams
Rep. Tom, Grady
Rep. Denise Grimsley
Rep. Matt Hudson
Rep. David Rivera
CCREC Chairman, Carla Dean of z
CCDEC Chairman, Steve Hemping
Rev Dr Martin Luther King Jr Building • Collier Government Complex • 3301 Tamiami Trl E Bldg C2
Naples, Florida 34112 -4907 ,Im"C"
Telephone: 239/252 -8450 • Fax: 2391774 -9468
Agenda Item No. 16,15
October 27, 2009
Page 3 of 6
Position Paper on Why We Want the Extension to 2016
In 2007 the Florida Legislature, at the request of Governor Charlie Crist and Secretary of
State Kurt Browning, voted to make Florida a "paper ballot" state. For thirteen counties
in Florida, this 2007 legislation resulted in the second voting system purchase since 2001
(punch cards to touch screens and then to optical scan). Part of the legislation (F.S.
101.56075) required the conversion of the ADA voting equipment to a "paper ballot"
based system by 2012. The hope was that by 2012 additional ADA voting systems would
be developed and certified in the state.
The Federal 2002 Help America Vote Act (HAVA) required all counties to purchase a
voting system for each voting location that would be accessible to persons with any
disability. The majority of the counties purchased touch screens with audio ballots. At the
time, touch screens were the only certified accessible voting system in the state.
Currently, there is only one certified optical scan (paper) system that meets this
requirement - the AutoMark. Today sixty -three (63) counties use touch screens and four
(4) counties use the AutoMark.
The Florida State Association of Supervisors of Elections has conducted a survey of the
counties required to make the voting system change by 2012. The estimated cost will be
nearly $35 million dollars. This does not include existing debt that many counties have
incurred from the 2001 and 2007 voting equipment changes. The Association has been
working with the disability community on accessible voting equipment since the
enactment of HAVA, voter education on the accessible voting systems used on Election
Day, and with concerns associated with the 2012 requirement. The disability community
is disappointed that development of new technology, especially to encompass all types of
disabilities, has not occurred since this legislation passed and that the AutoMark is
currently the only "paper based" option available to election officials. Given the choice
between continuing to use the touch screens or convert statewide to the AutoMark, the
preference is to stay with the current systems in the counties and focus on encouraging
voting system vendors and the Department of State to focus on development of a system
that would serve persons with any type of disability during the voting process, especially
with absentee ballots.
The following believe that due to the economic pressures on Boards of County
Commissioners around the state; the operational impact to Supervisors of Elections
budgets; the fact that new technology has not developed to allow any person with any
disability to vote independently; that an extension of this requirement be delayed from
2012 until 2016.
Florida State Association of Supervisors of Elections
Association Legislative position since 2008
Florida Association of Counties
Included in the 2009 FAC Policy Statement
Agenda Item No. 16,15
October 27, 2009
Page 4 of 6
Family Network on Disabilities of Florida
Richard La Belle, Executive Director and member of the State HAVA Plan
Committee
disAbility Solutions for Independent Living, Inc.
Julie Shaw, Executive Director and former Executive ADA Administrator,
Governor's Working Group on the ADA
Alachua County, Board of County Commissioners
Mike Byerly, Chair
Cynthia Moore Chestnut
Rodney J. Long
Paula M. Delaney
Lee Pinkoson
Bradford County, Board of County Commissioners
Doyle Thomas, Chair
Ross Chandler
Lila Sellars
John Wayne Hersey
Eddie Lewis
Clay County, Board of County Commissioners
Wendell D. Davis, Chair
T. Chereese Stewart
W. Travis Cummings
Douglas P. Conkey
Ronnie E. Robinson
Lee County, Board of County Commissioners
Ray Judah, Chair
Robert P. Janes
Brian Bigelow
Tammy Hall
Frank Mann
Miami -Dade County, Board of Coun
District 1 Barbara J. Jordan
District 2 Dorrin D. Rolle
District 3 Audrey Edmonson
District 4 Sally A. Heyman
District 5 Bruno A. Barrerio
District 6 Rebeca Sosa
District 7 Carlos A. Gimenez
ty Commissioners
District 8 Katy Sorenson
District 9 Dennis C. Moss
District 10 Javier D. Souto
District 11 Joe A. Martinez
District 12 Jose "Pepe" Diaz
District 13 Natacha Seijas
Agenda Item No. 16,15
October 27, 2009
Page 5 of 6
Orange County, Board of County Commissioners
Richard T. Crotty, County Mayor
Scott Boyd
Fred Brummer
Mildred Fernandez
Linda Stewart
Bill Segal
Tiffany Moore Russell
Palm Beach County, Board of County Commissioners
Jeff Koons, Chairman
Burt Aaronson, Vice Chairman
Karen T. Marcus
Shelley Vana
Steven L. Abrams
Jess R. Santamaria
Priscilla A. Taylor
Sarasota County, Board of County Commissioners
Jon Thaaton, Chair
Norma Patterson
Carolyn Mason
Joseph Barbetta
Shannon Staub
Note: Sarasota County is one of the four counties using the AutoMark.
Union County, Board of County Commissioners
Karen Cossey, Chairman
Morris Dobbs, Vice - Chairman
Jimmy Tallman
M. Wayne Smith
Ricky Jenkins
Updated 10/1/09
V
COLLIER COUNTY
BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS
Page 1 of 1
Agenda Item No. 16J5
October 27, 2009
Page 6 of 6
Item Number:
16J5
Item Summary:
Recommendation that the Board of County Commissioners adopts and supports the attached
position paper as part of Collier Countys 2010 State Legislative Priorities as requested by the
Supervisor of Elections.
Meeting Date:
10127/2009 9:00:00 AM
Approved By
John A. Yonkosky
Director of the Office of Management Date
County Manager's Office
Office of Management & Budget 10121/2009 12:21 PM
Approved By
Leo E. Ochs, Jr.
Deputy County Manager Date
Board of County
Commissioners
County Manager's Office 1012112009 1:05 PM
file: / /C: \AgendaTest \Export \137- October 27, 2009 \16. CONSENT AGENDA \16J. OTHER... 10/21/2009