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Shelby County Commission approves new voting system funding

In this June 7, 2019 file photo U.S. Rep. Jim Cooper, left, a Nashville Democrat, checks out Davidson County's new voting equipment at the Green Hills Branch of the Nashville Public Library in Nashville, Tenn. A second big county in Tennessee won't have paper-trail producing voting equipment that experts consider crucial for election integrity in place by the March 3 presidential primary. Knox County — anchored by Knoxville — is eyeing a change from fully electronic machines to paper ballots that are filled out by hand then scanned, but they won't be functioning until state and federal elections in August 2020, county elections administrator Clifford Rodgers said Tuesday, Dec. 10, 2019. (AP Photo/Jonathan Mattise, file) In this June 7, 2019 file photo U.S. Rep. Jim Cooper, left, a Nashville Democrat, checks out Davidson County's new voting equipment at the Green Hills Branch of the Nashville Public Library in Nashville, Tenn. A second big county in Tennessee won't have paper-trail producing voting equipment that experts consider crucial for election integrity in place by the March 3 presidential primary. Knox County — anchored by Knoxville — is eyeing a change from fully electronic machines to paper ballots that are filled out by hand then scanned, but they won't be functioning until state and federal elections in August 2020, county elections administrator Clifford Rodgers said Tuesday, Dec. 10, 2019. (AP Photo/Jonathan Mattise, file)

By Associated Press June 10, 2022 1 min read

MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) — Commissioners in Tennessee’s most populous county have approved $5.8 million for a new voting system for the November general election that would replace aging machines and servers currently available.

News outlets reported that the Shelby County Commission voted 9-4 on Monday to fund a new system Election Administrator Linda Phillips said would let voters choose between paper ballots marked by hand or updated digital touchscreen machines with a paper readout.

Some county commissioners and the election commission had wanted a new system for the August primary, citing concerns about the current outdated system.

The Election Commission has sued the county over the voting system issue. Phillips has said the current system is down to its last of three servers, and they may not survive the August election.

But County Commissioner Van Turner argued the August election was too close to change the current system.

After lengthy debate, county commissioners voted to fund the system for the November general election. The machines will be purchased from Election Systems & Software, or ES&S.