St. Charles County May Spend $800,000 on New Voting Machines

St. Charles County Council will consider the purchase of 260 new machines at the February council meeting.

St. Charles County may spend $810,000 on 260 new electronic voting machines.  Election Authority Director Rich Chrismer said some of the current optical scan lasers don't read ballots as they should.  "Things are just wearing out," he said.  Timing on this issue is key. The county can take advantage of a $129,000 grant, but must approve the purchase of the new machines by Feb. 14. In 2013, the county could get another nearly $50,000 grant for a total savings of about $180,000.  The cost for 260 machines would be $810,000.  Chrismer said he has saved the money for seven years to replace the machines by leasing them out to other areas.  Last year, County Executive Steve Ehlmann vetoed spending $1.2 million to purchase new equipment because …

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Chrismer Says St. Charles County has Low Voter Turnout

St. Charles County Director of Elections Rich Chrismer says three memory cards for voting machines failed this morning, were replaced before polls opened.

Light voter turnout was expected in St. Charles County in this election.  Although Director of Elections Rich Chrismer had originally anticipated 18 percent turnout—by 1 p.m. he revised it to about 10 percent. "It's pretty bad," he said. "In Lake Saint Louis by 11 a.m. we had over 100 votes cast at most precincts. In St. Peters, we are lucky to have 40." St. Peters Mayor Len Pagano said he feared a low voter turnout with three of the five main races—including his—being uncontested.  Campaign workers at Progress Park in Wentzville said that turnout had been "light but steady." At First Baptist Church in Lake Saint Louis, board of aldermen candidate Richard Morris said that he had been campaigning at Transfiguration Church, but left when the…

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Council May Override Veto of $1.2M Voting Machines

County Executive Steve Ehlmann vetoed a voting machines purchase that would cost $1.2 million. Election Authority Director Rich Chrismer argues the veto interferes with him performing his duties.

The St. Charles County Council may vote on overriding a veto on purchasing voting system equipment for $1.2 million during its 7 p.m. meeting Monday. County Executive Steve Ehlmann vetoed the bill after the council approved it 4-1 during its last purchase. He objected to having one bidder on such a large purchase. Ehlmann blamed federal and state regulations for creating a system in which just one company is certified to sell voting machines in the state. Ehlmann said the county should hold off on the purchase until another company is authorized to sell the equipment so they can receive a competitive bid. Henry M. Adkins & Son was the only bidder. Election Authority Director Rich Chrismer said they are the only company certified to sell …

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Elections Director Questions Voting Machine Veto

County Executive Steve Ehlmann vetoed a $1.2 million voting machine purchase because there was just one bid. Elections Director Rich Chrismer said that interferes with his job as an elected official.

St. Charles County Elections Director Rich Chrismer questioned why County Executive Steve Ehlmann vetoed a a $1.2 million voting machine purchase from Henry Adkins & Son.  “Why would the county executive, a man who has been a state legislator and a judge, want to jeopardize the right of the people to vote?” said Chrismer, who leads the county's Elections Authority. Ehlmann announced Tuesday that he vetoed the purchase of 260 voting machines. He said he did not believe the county should spend that much money when there was just one bid. “I believe that the director of elections should be given deference in determining the need to replace equipment and which machines to purchase,” Ehlmann said. “However, under the Charter, they are subject …

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Ehlmann Vetoes $1.2 Million Voting Machine Purchase

The county executive said the county should get more than one bid for such a large purchase.

County Executive Steve Ehlmann vetoed a bill Wednesday that would spend nearly $2 million for new election machines. Director of Elections Rich Chrismer requested the expenditure in late February. Councilman Joe Cronin, R-District 1, was the only council member to vote against the bid. One of his objections was the absence of competing bids. “I believe that the director of elections should be given deference in determining the need to replace equipment and which machines to purchase,” Ehlmann said. “However, under the Charter, they are subject to county government regulations when it comes to personnel and purchasing.” Ehlmann said the issue is not with voting machines or with Chrismer, but with getting one bid for such a large purchase. …

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St. Charles County Will Spend $1.2 Million on 260 New Voting Machines

Councilman Joe Cronin says the purchase isn't prudent, but the rest of the council members approved new machines.

St. Charles County will spend $1.2 million on new voting machines, but one county councilman thinks they would be better off keeping the old machines. The County Council voted 4-1 on Monday to approve the purchase of 260 optical scan machines that read paper ballots, two for each of 121 precincts and 18 emergency backups. Half of the machines are disability-capable. The bill still needs to be signed by County Executive Steve Ehlmann. If he vetoes the bill, it could be overridden by a five-vote council majority. Councilman Terry Hollander had stepped out of the room and was unavailable during Monday's roll call vote. Rich Chrismer, the St. Charles County Election Authority director, said he had budgeted money in the last six years to pay …

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Wake Up Wentzville

Wake Up Wentzville: Oct. 18 Edition

All the news you need for Tuesday, Oct. 18.

Good morning Wentzville! Welcome to the column that will help you get through the day. Every Monday through Friday at 6 a.m., we'll tell you what's going on around town, what you need to know and where the traffic snags might be. Have a suggestion to make Wentzville Patch more helpful? Leave a comment or drop me an email at maggie.rotermund@patch.com. Do you use social media? Check us out on Facebook and Twitter. 

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