Submitted by: Laura Reams
Submitting Department: City Clerk
Agenda Section: Consent
Item Title:
title
Approval of Election Equipment Vendor for Election 2021
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Suggested Action:
recommendation
I move that the Mayor and Council approve the recommendation of the Board of Supervisors of Elections to select Election Systems and Software (ES&S) to be the City's election equipment vendor for the Biennial Election to be held on Tuesday, May 11, 2021 and to authorize the City Administrator to execute a contract in an amount not to exceed $13,000, upon the review and approval by the City Attorney for legal sufficiency.
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Summary Background:
The Board of Supervisors of Elections issued a Request for Proposal (RFP) for election services in 2020. One (1) response was received from ES&S, the vendor the City contracted with for the 2019 City election. The Board of Supervisors of Elections evaluated the response and recommends that the City execute a contract for election services with ES&S, for the May 2021 Election.
The contract will include the following:
• Rental of optical ballot scanners
• Rental of Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) accessible electronic voting machines
• One (1) day of election judge training
• Electronic poll books for Vote-by-Mail ballot intake and Election Day
• On-site technician for Election Day
• Tabulation of Election Results
The 2021 election will be held primarily by mail. The City will have one (1) polling center on Election Day for voters from all wards and for Same Day Voter Registration. ES&S is the State of Maryland election vendor and will provide Hyattsville voters with an experience similar to State and County elections by utilizing paper ballots and optical scanners.
The City has budgeted funds of $30,000 for equipment rental for the 2021 election. The election will also require the City to contract with a mail vendor for the printing and mailing of Vote-by-Mail ballot packets to all registered voters and the printing of ballots for Election Day. Staff and the Board of Supervisors of Elections are currently evaluating mail vendors and expect to bring forth a proposal in January. The addition of a mail vendor will likely require a budget amendment to the City’s election budget.
Next Steps:
Upon approval, the City Administrator will execute the contract. The Board of Supervisors of Elections and City staff will work with the Election vendor to coordinate and implement the ballot intake and Election Day polling center.
Fiscal Impact:
NTE $13,000
City Administrator Comments:
Recommend Support.
Community Engagement:
Outreach announcing candidate and voter registration periods will be mailed to City households.
Strategic Goals:
Goal 1 - Ensure Transparent and Accessible Governance
Legal Review Required?
Pending