Hubbard County commissioners mediated a dispute last week between members of Arago and Clover township boards regarding voting machines.
Members of both boards appealed to commissioners to resolve concerns over which entity would be responsible for purchasing additional electronic voting equipment if the townships split their combined precinct.
Commissioners resolved, by board consensus, to develop a county policy on precinct dissolution.
Hubbard County's 34 voting districts consolidated into 22 precincts to avoid paying money beyond the federal grant for electronic voting equipment mandated by the Help America Vote Act.
Clover and Arago decided to combine precincts partly due to an insufficient infrastructure at the Arago town hall, according to Arago clerk Patti Stulich.
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Clover Township clerk Teresa Ohm said many Arago residents were unhappy with the initial location change.
"Arago residents were quite vocal about having to drive to Clover," said Ohm.
In 2007, Arago Township constructed a new town hall and would now like to hold its own elections, said Stulich. Arago proposed moving the combined polling place to the new town hall or dissolving the precinct, which would require additional equipment.
Ohm said Clover residents responding to a questionnaire overwhelmingly expressed a desire to continue voting in Clover instead of relocating to Arago.
"After the survey was compiled, one way to lose our jobs was to move to Arago. We believe we cannot," said Clover Township supervisor Joan Bradach.
Chair Cal Johannsen said the problem stemmed from an uneven distribution of grant money to townships.
County auditor/treasurer Pam Heeren said the county allowed voting districts to form the 22 combined precincts to avoid charging townships for the electronic equipment.
"To go back now and charge these people for machines would not be fair for everybody," Heeren said.
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Commissioner Don Carlson suggested Arago Township pay for the machines as they voted to leave the agreement.
Commissioner Lyle Robinson said such a purchase would create issues with storage and maintenance, which the county must facilitate.
Robinson said the county is ultimately responsible for the electronic voting machines, and could be held culpable by township residents.
"If we say no, they can go on with their lives and blame us," Robinson reasoned.
Commissioner Dick Devine, whose district includes Arago Township, disagreed.
"Look what happened with a few disgruntled voters in Florida. I'm not willing to do that. I don't like that," Devine said.
County officials agreed the decision would need to be sufficient to resolve further precinct disputes.
"Whatever you do you need to be aware this will not be the only time," said Heeren.
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"This is not the only time this will come up. Long term, we will have to solve this," agreed Johannsen.
Robinson said the county board had enough information to make a decision and would attempt to come to an agreement by February.
"I don't think it has to do with you guys any more. I think it's a county issue. We have to find out how to pay," Robinson told the township representatives.
