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Sherburne County F ilI l] 91 h 1161 JA d :1 =111fl: A -1 M"# fYJJJWA 11111 13880 Business Center Drive NW Elk River, MN 55330-1692 763-765-4351 LJ 1-800-438-0576 L) Fax: 763-765-4400 Web: www.co.sherbume.mn.us September 18, 2015 To: Town Clerk/City Administrator Re: Purchase of new election equipment As you may know, there has been some discussion from our County Commissioners and members of the public about how Sherburne County precincts can increase the speed of reporting election returns, particularly in light of the delays experienced during the 2014 election. In order to address this issue, the County is considering requesting proposals for the purchase of new ballot scanners for all precincts and a new central scanner for absentee ballots. The purpose of this letter is to ask for your feedback on this proposal. The ballot scanners your precinct currently uses are over 10 years old. When those machines were purchased, each precinct purchased their own equipment and the County agreed to reimburse precincts $ 1,000 per machine, or about twenty percent of the total cost. In order to facilitate this project, the County is proposing to pay approximately half ZD the cost of each machine and the ongoing maintenance costs. We have received an estimate from our current vendor of about $6,400 per machine. In order to receive a volume discount, the County is proposing to purchase new machines for all precincts. The County would then store and maintain the machines, unless other arrangements are made at the request of individual precincts. Each precinct Would be assigned a specific machine to use at each election. Under this proposal, cities and townships would pay half the cost of each machine purchased for there, or approximately S3,000 per machine based on the cut -rent estimate. In addition, cities and townships would pay a proportionate share of the central ballot scanner based on the number of voters in their precincts. These arno-unts could be paid as a lump sum or partially over tirne, as a rental cost of the machines. If enough cities and townships are in support of this project, we will come back to each city council and town board asking for a commitment as to the number of machines that will be ordered. We will need this information in order to provide vendors with ail accurate request for proposals on which they can base their bid. Please note that in order to receive the anticipated prices, the County will need to get commitments, request bids, select a venclor and order machines by December of this year. We anticipate that prices will go up in 2016. Therefore, we are asking that you provide the County with at least informal feedback on this proposal by Friday, October 2, 2015,