The elections board indicated it is considering legal action against commissioners decision on Wednesday.
The Board of Elections announced Friday it will meet in a closed-door session at 2:30 p.m. Monday apparently to discuss whether it will ask a judge to reverse the decision.
In a statement issued in response Friday afternoon, the Stark County commissioners office, said, It is disappointing that anyone is threatening lawsuits that waste taxpayer money. It is also unfortunate that the Board of Elections misrepresented to the public and the commissioners the true cost difference separating the two competing voting systems by over 80%$ ($1.6 million).
The three county commissioners, all Republicans, voted unanimously Wednesday to reject a recommendation that the county buy 1,450 touch-screen voting machines sold by Dominion Voting Systems. The commissioners did not speak publicly on their vote but approved a resolution rejecting the purchase.
Stark County commissioners expect to make a decision by March 15 on whether to approve buying Dominion voting machines for the general election in November, said Commissioner Bill Smith.
A vote could take place on Wednesday at the three-member board s weekly teleconference meeting, he said. It would be up to Stark County Administrator Brant Luther by Tuesday whether to put the item on the Wednesday agenda.
Smith said he has not yet decided if he ll vote to approve the purchase. Commissioners have met a few times in closed-door sessions to discuss the purchase of public property and met with the county s attorneys to discuss possible imminent court action. Smith declined to confirm if they discussed the voting machines purchase in executive session.
CANTON Members of the Stark County Board of Elections want to know when county commissioners will decide whether to approve the proposed $6.5 million purchase of Dominion voting machines.
And the agency s chairman said the board will take legal action if commissioners keep putting off a decision.
After a 38-minute executive session Tuesday to discuss the purchase of property for public purposes, Board Chairman Samuel Ferruccio instructed the board staff to ask commissioners for a firm (decision) date on the voting machines. Then he said the board, which unanimously approved the purchase Dec. 9, would consider its legal options going forward.
When asked later if the subject of the executive session was the voting machines, Ferruccio said, You can read between the lines, but it s an executive session.”