Subcommittee hears fiscal review as DTMB seeks one-time funds for voting-system replacement, radio network and IT projects

At a House General Government Subcommittee meeting, members heard a House Fiscal Agency presentation on the governor’s fiscal 2027 recommendations that focused on large DTMB requests, including a one-time appropriation for a statewide voting-system replacement.

Michael Kassen, the House Fiscal Agency analyst presenting the overview, said the state projects a total voting-system replacement cost of about $90.7 million and the governor’s recommended appropriation would cover roughly a $43.2 million gap between existing carryforward funds and projected costs. Kassen said remaining funds would come from the Help America Vote Act (HAVA) grants, other election-administration grants, work projects and interest on carried funds. “The current voting system was procured back in 2016–2017 with a 10-year contract,” he said, noting that the contract ends in February 2027 and a new solicitation is underway.

Members questioned procurement mechanics and timing. Rep. Van Work and others asked whether procurement has traditionally been handled by the Department of State or DTMB; Kassen said Department of State has historically been the recipient but DTMB has performed procurements previously, and he described the planned approach as a collaborative one with funds transferred as needed for central procurement.

Kassen also highlighted ongoing infrastructure requests in DTMB: a $6.7 million ongoing increase for the Michigan Public Safety Communication System (MPSCS), which would include authorization for 15 FTEs and funds to replace aging radio towers and equipment; and an IT portfolio request with $35 million ongoing in the Information Technology Investment Fund (ITIF) for legacy system replacements (a $15 million reduction from FY26 reflecting the removal of a prior one‑time appropriation).

On fiscal posture, Kassen said the governor’s FY26 supplemental includes a proposed withdrawal of $400 million from the Budget Stabilization Fund to ease FY27 budget pressures. He described other DTMB items including funding for HR1-related automation (about $4.7M GF recommended across two items, with additional federal funds anticipated for implementation), state building authority debt-financing adjustments, and multi-year funding for the civil service HR-system replacement (Herman 2.0).

Members asked for more information on several points — including the RFP timeline (Kassen noted the Secretary of State’s RFP was due in late February), how much federal HAVA funding remains available (Kassen cited at least $30M in federal funds on hand and a previously cited $35M–$40M federal contribution in the 2016 replacement), and the operational division of purchasing responsibility between DTMB and Department of State. Kassen offered to provide follow-up details on procurement arrangements and funding sources.

The subcommittee approved the minutes by unanimous consent and adjourned.