Agenda

Return

C. 43

To:	Board of Supervisors
From:	Deborah R. Cooper, Clerk-Recorder
Date:	March 22, 2022

Contra

Costa

County

Subject:

Voting System Contract Amendment

APPROVE	OTHER
RECOMMENDATION OF CNTY ADMINISTRATOR	RECOMMENDATION OF BOARD COMMITTEE

Action of Board On: 03/22/2022

APPROVED AS RECOMMENDED

OTHER

Clerks Notes:

VOTE OF SUPERVISORS

AYE:

John Gioia, District I Supervisor
Candace Andersen, District II Supervisor
Diane Burgis, District III Supervisor
Karen Mitchoff, District IV Supervisor
Federal D. Glover, District V Supervisor

Contact:

Helen Nolan, 925-335-7808

I hereby certify that this is a true and correct copy of an action taken and entered on the minutes of the Board of Supervisors on the date shown.
ATTESTED: March 22, 2022
Monica Nino, County Administrator

BY:	, Deputy

RECOMMENDATION(S):

APPROVE and AUTHORIZE the County Clerk-Recorder, or designee, to execute a contract amendment with Dominion Voting Systems, Inc., to increase the payment limit by $133,680 to a new payment limit of $5,495,380 for additional voting equipment for processing ballots, with no change in the contract term of March 1, 2018 through December 31, 2023.

FISCAL IMPACT:

The cost of the additional voting equipment is $579,830, offset with a credit of $375,000 for the return of 300 ImageCast Evolution precinct scanners, for a total additional cost to the County of $204,830. This amount is budgeted and appropriated for the FY 2021-22. Software licenses and warranty costs will increase by $67,750 for the new equipment, but decrease by $138,900 for the returned equipment, resulting in a net savings of $71,150. The overall cost of the amendment is $133,680, bringing the not to exceed value of the contract to $5,495,380. The cost will be paid from elections capital replacement funds within the County General Fund, dedicated to this purpose. A portion of the cost will be able to be reimbursed by the State and returned to the Elections Capital Replacement Account.

BACKGROUND:

On March 1, 2018 the County and Dominion Voting Systems, Inc., entered into a Voting System and Services Agreement to replace the County’s previous election system. In October 2018, the County amended the contract to exchange certain voting system components and purchase ballot scanners and remote voter software. In February 2020, the County amended the contract to purchase additional scanning equipment in response to an increase in voters.

The current amendment to the contract includes the purchase of two additional ImageCast Central kits, four additional ImageCast Central scanners, ten additional high volume Mobile Ballot Printer (MBP) kits, forty-nine ImageCast X voting booths, seventy-one ImageCast X Transport Bag kits, and a credit for the return of 300 ImageCast Evolution precinct scanner kits.

With the passage of AB 37, all voters are to be sent a vote-by-mail ballot. Vote-by-mail voter participation has increased significantly, and in-person voting has decreased. In response to a decrease in in-person voter participation, the County will be returning 300 ImageCast Evolution precinct scanners to Dominion Voting Systems, Inc., for a credit and savings in annual software license and warranty costs.

CONSEQUENCE OF NEGATIVE ACTION:

Without an approved amendment, the County will not be able to serve its voters in a timely manner, will not be able to tabulate and report election results in the manner expected by the public, media, and candidates, and will bear additional ongoing costs as a result of not returning unused equipment.