Broward County Commission Regular Meeting

A. MOTION TO DISCUSS unbudgeted expenses of $1,429,396 incurred related to November’s General Election recount and the purchase of 100 DS-200 precinct level scanners in the amount of $503,500. (Deferred from April 16, 2019 - Item No. 32)

ACTION:  (T-11:00 AM)  Approved.  (Refer to minutes for full discussion.)

VOTE: 9-0.

B. MOTION TO ADOPT budget Resolution No. 2019-268 transferring funds within the General Fund for the Supervisor of Election in the amount of $1,932,896 for unbudgeted expenses incurred related to November’s General Election recount and the purchase of 100 DS-200 precinct level scanners. (Deferred from April 16, 2019 - Item No. 32)

ACTION:  (T-11:00 AM)  Approved.  (Refer to minutes for full discussion.)

VOTE: 9-0.

A. Expenses incurred related to November’s General Election recount and the purchase of 100 DS-200 precinct level scanners were unbudgeted and exceed the Supervisor of Election’s Fiscal Year 2019 Adopted Budget for the November 2018 General Election.

B. Reallocating funds between Commission reserves and the Supervisor of Election’s budget requires approval by the Board of County Commissioners.

Appropriates funding from reserves to provide the Supervisor of Election’s office with sufficient resources to cover the unbudgeted expenses incurred related to November’s General Election recount and the unbudgeted purchase of 100 DS-200 precinct level scanners.

This agenda item was deferred from the April 16, 2019 Commission meeting.

In Fiscal Year 2019, the Broward County Supervisor of Elections requested and the Board of County Commissioners approved an adopted budget of $9,259,050 for the November 2018 General Election. The election results for U.S Senate, Florida Governor, and the Commissioner of Agriculture all fell within a 0.5% or less margin of victory. Per state law, the Florida Secretary of State ordered manual recounts for the Senate and Commissioner of Agriculture races and a machine recount for the Florida Governor race. The Fiscal Year 2019 Adopted Budget for the November 2018 General Election did not include funds for expenses incurred during the recount. After review, the Supervisor of Elections determined an additional $1,429,396 is needed to fully cover the cost of the election and the unbudgeted expenses arising from the recount.

In addition to recount expenses, the previous administration signed a Sales Order Agreement with Election Systems & Software (ES&S) providing for the purchase of 100 DS-200 precinct level scanners in the amount of $503,500 with payment terms of three installments to be made during the 2019 and 2020 Fiscal Years.

Tiffany Bedran, Finance Director, Broward County Supervisor of Elections, (954) 357-7072