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Americans always seem to be searching for new technology that can make us more modern and efficient, but sometimes in the process we overlook the fact that simplicity just may be the more logical choice.
That's why we agree with the recent decision of the Trumbull County Board of Elections to return, at least for now, to the use of paper ballots at the polls. In the interim, the county's touch-screen balloting system is being retired.
The decision came largely due to the extremely high cost of replacing the aging existing voting system with a similar new system.
When outgoing Ohio Secretary of State Jon Husted announced the funds earlier this year -- legislation set aside $104.5 million for boards across the state -- he said it was time to "say goodbye to aging voting equipment that pre-dates the first-generation iPhone."
It sounded great, and in the end, the state funding provided $2.01 million for Trumbull County to replace its 13-year-old system. Unfortunately, that's not enough to cover the full cost of about $3.2 million for replacement with a similar system. A paper and touch-screen hybrid system is even more, estimated at about $4.5 million. Trumbull County lacks the additional needed funds, according to Stephanie Penrose, director of the county board of elections.
County officials weighed the options, making sure to consider future costs of paper ballots -- which also aren't inexpensive -- and decided that, at the end of the day, using a paper ballot system is simply the more cost effective choice.
The system selected from Omaha-based Election System and Software will cost $1.3 million. In the next year, the board will seek bids on a printer to print the bulk of the ballots needed for the election, but will have printers on hand to print ballots, if necessary. Even with additional paper costs, the system will cost the board much less than other options.
And local election board officials said perhaps it is the more logical choice for security measures as well, considering ongoing and growing election and cyber-security concerns.
We agree with the board's decision, and applaud them for acting as good stewards of the public money.
At the end of the day, sometimes when history repeats itself, it really is for the best.