Saturday, July 11, 2009

Election Commissioners Party With Vendors

More than 18 New York counties have passed resolutions asking to keep their lever voting machines and the governor has issued directives to limit state employee travel expenses; nevertheless 180 county election commissioners and staff spent their evenings partying at events sponsored by voting machine vendors who plied their wares at the four day annual Election Commissioners Association meeting at the Finger Lakes in late June.

Here are some highlights of the Daily News report of the event which is worth reading in full, especially for the photos:

At this conference, vendors seeking business with election boards across the state picked up the tab for food and open bars...

On Wednesday, commissioners and staffers attended work sessions about paper ballets, vendor contracts and other election issues. At one point, Sequoia and ES&S - two companies vying to supply electronic voting machines to election boards across New York - pitched their wares...

As the party ended, some revelers re-created a scene from "Animal House" by jumping up and down, yelling "Shout!" to the Isley Brothers' hit.

[New York Election Commissioners Association president William]Scriber said he didn't know which vendor paid for the private party room and liquor and had "no recollection" of who threw the costume party. A hotel sales rep did not return calls.

Read more: http://www.nydailynews.com/news/2009/06/29/2009-06-29_with_albany_in_chaos_board_of_elections_staff_live_it_up_in_finger_lakes.html?page=1#ixzz0KxdfMqNZ&C


1 comments:

John said...

None of these "events" were done during the day, but after hours and with no taxpayer dollars used.

The vendor sponsored event was open to all including other vendors and was arranged by the vendor and the hotel - not the association. I would like to add the Association of Counties, NYS School Boards, Association of Towns and others allow vendor events, some during the active agenda.

In conclusion the point of the article was vendors were there to sell the BOE's machines which was not true (FALSE. The vendors of voting systems were not there
to sell but to advise of improvements, upgrades and support questions on equipment we have already purchased.

If you make a representation please know what you are talking about. ALL these systems are on state bid, controlled by the New York State Board of Elections and audited by the Federal Gov't.

These systems are required by Federal court order, again they have already been purchased as directed by the New York State Board of Elections and the Federal Courts.

They so called vendors already have been obligated to each county so what are they to sell??