With a federal deadline looming over their heads, Lincoln Countysupervisors continued to struggle with how many machines will beneeded to maintain efficiency and speed at voting precincts.

Supervisors have until the end of the year to meet federal HelpAmerica Vote Act of 2002 requirements. The law was enacted toeliminate some of the election difficulties that plagued Floridaduring and after the 2000 presidential election and includeslanguage to make precincts more accessible for those withdisabilities.

Supervisors this summer joined an agreement negotiated bySecretary of State Eric Clark with Diebold Election Systems topurchase electronic touch-screen machines that arehandicap-accesible.

Under the agreement, the federal government is paying for 95percent of each machine, and the state is paying the other 5percent for enough machines to amount to one for every 190registered voters.

However, because of the number of voting precincts in the countyand other factors, supervisors said the number of machines providedunder the agreement will not meet the county’s needs.

Counties can purchase additional machines at the same cost -nearly $3,000 per machine.

Supervisors and election commissioners are trying to determinehow many extra machines the county should purchase.

Supervisors want to provide a minimum of two machines perprecinct with a few backups should a machine fail.

Some precincts with high voter turnout would obviously needmore, said Chancery Clerk Tillmon Bishop.

Charles Smith, election commissioner for District Four, said thecounty’s turnout was 53 percent during the last election. But thepercentage varies greatly from election to election depending onthe offices and candidates involved.

“I remember we had one election a few years ago that we hadabout a 60 percent turnout. That’s the most I can ever remember,”Smith said.

Some elections barely register a turnout, however, because voterinterest is not high.

Supervisors and commissioners are torn in identifying the numberof machines needed for a normal turnout that will also serve theoccasional 60-percent turnout.

They said they don’t want to buy too many and be wasteful withtaxpayer money but also don’t want to buy too few and beunprepared.

The commissioners will meet with supervisors at their regularlyscheduled meeting Nov. 7 to provide information on the number ofvoters in the past two local elections.

Supervisor and sheriff races generally draw the highestturnouts, Smith said.

Also, District Four Supervisor Doug Moak said he spoke withofficials recently and was told that two of the new machines shouldbe available “soon” for display in the courthouse.

Officials hope that displaying the new machines prior to anelection will allow voters to learn how to use them and become morecomfortable with the new process.