Board flags equipment and training gaps after primary; seeks upgrades and outreach

Elkhart County election officials told the board May 15 that aging scan and results‑reporting equipment contributed to processing delays and voter confusion, and the board asked staff to gather quotes to upgrade hardware and improve training.

Staff reported problems with the county’s DS450 high‑speed scanner and the state upload format; they said a DS950 would include updated software that reduces file‑format mismatches with the state reporting system. Board members asked staff to obtain quotes, to explore trade‑in values and to consider budget timing for the purchase.

Members also discussed voter experience at voting machines: several voters reached the ballot-summary screen and exited instead of printing, and a large field of delegate candidates appeared to increase user error. Staff proposed more robust poll‑worker training, public equipment tests and short instructional videos that would run at voting locations or online. The board supported adding clearer on‑screen warnings and reinforcing, in training, that assistants who complete a pre3 must attest to the voter’s intent.

Chair and staff noted the county will prioritize chain‑of‑custody and equipment reliability for future elections and will return cost estimates to the board along with recommended training changes.