This bill makes the following changes to election laws with regard to voting machines:
(1) VOTING MACHINES. This bill requires the county election commission to select the voting machines to be purchased for use in the county and to ensure the destruction of such machines when they are deemed obsolete;
(2) CONTRACT, LEASE, AND OPTION AGREEMENT. Present law provides that when the governing body of a county requests the coordinator of elections to have the state finance the acquisition of a specified number of voting machines, the governing body of the county and the coordinator of elections must enter into a “contract, lease and option,” subject to certain requirements in present law. This bill adds that, in lieu of the governing body of a county entering into such contract, lease, and option agreement, a county election commission may, in its sole discretion, elect by majority vote to enter into such contract, lease, and option agreement; and
(3) PAYMENT. Present law provides that the governing body of a city, town or county may adopt voting machines and, upon the adoption and purchase of voting machines, must provide for payment for the machines in the way it deems for the best interest of the locality and may for that purpose issue bonds, certificates of indebtedness or other obligations, which must be a charge on the city, town or county. This bill rewrites this provision to provide, instead, that, upon the adoption of voting machines or replacement of voting machines by a county election commission, the governing body of a city, town, or county must provide for payment for the machines in the way it deems necessary for the best interest of the locality, except as provided in (2) above, and may for that purpose issue bonds, certificates of indebtedness, or other obligations which must be a charge on the city, town, or county.
ON APRIL 4, 2024, THE SENATE ADOPTED AMENDMENT #1 AND PASSED SENATE BILL 2587, AS AMENDED.
AMENDMENT #1 rewrites the bill to, instead, require the county election commission to (i) select the voting machines to be purchased for use in the county and (ii) ensure the destruction of the voting machines when the machines are deemed obsolete.
Present law provides that when the governing body of a county requests the coordinator of elections to have the state finance the acquisition of a specified number of voting machines, the governing body of the county and the coordinator of elections must enter into a "contract, lease and option," subject to certain requirements in present law. This amendment adds to the present law by providing that if federal or state grants are used to completely pay for the voting machines or destruction of the voting machines, in lieu of the governing body of a county entering into the contract, lease, and option agreement, then a county election commission may, in its sole discretion, elect by majority vote to enter into the contract, lease, and option agreement.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: 2-9-112, 2-9-111