Marion County Election Board staff told members April 18 they are drafting a request for proposals (RFP) for electronic poll books and will present progress at a future meeting.

Director of Elections Patrick Becker said staff has spent several months developing RFP requirements and working with the county purchasing department and information-security partners (referred to in the meeting as ISA) to include security specifications. Becker said staff hopes to provide a more detailed update at the board’s next meeting.

Why it matters: electronic poll books are a core piece of election technology used at polling locations. The RFP process and security requirements will influence which vendors can bid and how the county configures equipment and software for future elections.

What staff said

Becker said the team is "making good progress" on requirements and security work and that the purchasing department will issue the RFP when requirements are finalized. He asked the board to expect an update at the next meeting; no formal action or vote was taken on the matter during the April 18 meeting.

Ending

Board members acknowledged the staff update and thanked election staff for preparatory work ahead of the next election cycle.