The Galesburg Election Commission is seeking nearly $135,000 in financial assistance from the city to purchase new paper voting tabulators in preparation for the 2025 consolidated election.
According to a resolution request on the City Council agenda for Monday, the current tabulators are going to be 20 years old and, based on the manufacturer, the end of life for parts is January 1, 2025. Currently, there are no state or federal funds available to purchase voting equipment.
The Galesburg Election Commission, which has operated since 1908, is independent of the City of Galesburg. If the expenses of the Galesburg Board of Elections Commissioners exceed the amount of money that it receives from Knox County, the City of Galesburg is legally obligated to pay for those expenses. The Election Commission has indicated it does not have sufficient funding for the voting tabulators and software and requested that the city provide funding in the amount of $134,599.
New machines would be used in Spring 2025
In a letter to the mayor and City Council, executive director of the Galesburg Board of Elections Lisa Watson says, “The tabulators are 20 years old and have served the City of Galesburg well.”
Watson said the current tabulators have a life expectancy of 15 years and were brought in by federal grant fund through the Help America Vote Act. The funding was created because of nationwide concerns about hanging chads in the 2000 Presidential Election.
She further said the Galesburg Election Commission “has been frugal,” noting the reduction of precincts from 31 to 20, resulting in the need of fewer tabulators.
The funds would be used to purchase Poll Place scanners and tabulators, software, and implementation services.
City Manager Eric Hanson recommends approval of the purchase and notes sufficient funding was budgeted and is available in the General Fund for the contribution.
Watson tells WGIL “the current voting tabulators work great” and that the new paper ballot tabulators would not be used until the 2025 Consolidated Election, which will be April 1, 2025.
Galesburg one of only 7 commissions in Illinois
Galesburg is one of only seven election commissions in Illinois — the others being Bloomington, Chicago, Danville, East St. Louis, Peoria County and Rockford.
Created Nov. 3, 1908, Galesburg was just the fourth election commission born in Illinois. The Chicago election commission is the oldest, established Nov. 9, 1885.
The only difference between the Illinois State Board of Elections and the seven election commissions is that the board members for the seven election commissions are appointed by the courts, while the Illinois State Board of Elections board members are appointed by the governor.
