Goodbye to Chads

Added: (Tue Jun 26 2001)

Pressbox (Press Release) - FLORIDA ASSOCIATION OF COUNTIES GIVES ELECTION SYSTEMS & SOFTWARE
EXCLUSIVE ENDORSEMENT TO MODERNISE ELECTIONS EQUIPMENT, SERVICES


Tallahassee, Florida, June 26, 2001 – The Florida Association of Counties (FAC) has exclusively endorsed Election Systems & Software (ES&S), the world’s largest election systems company, as the preferred provider of the election management equipment and services that will significantly modernise the voting environment in the state.

“After evaluating several proposals from election companies, the FAC determined that ES&S had the proven experience, financial stability, and products best suited to carry Florida into the future,” said Mary Kay Cariseo, executive director of the FAC.

ES&S offers both optical scan and direct recording electronic tabulators, all managed by its Unity software system. The FAC endorsement was predicated on the ES&S systems capability to provide voter protection from incorrectly voted ballots, its ease of use, proven reliability, and the company’s extensive experience in managing elections in both large and small jurisdictions.

“We believe that the joint relationship with the FAC will provide all Florida counties, regardless of size, more cost-effective services and equipment than any individual county could negotiate on its own. ES&S provides the opportunity for Florida to move easily, safely, and smartly into modern election systems,” said Aldo Tesi, ES&S CEO and president.

Under the agreement, ES&S will also help the counties develop a voter education program, provide training for supervisory staff in hardware and software features and operations, design instruction materials for use in training precinct workers, and assist in training poll workers. In addition, ES&S will assist in ballot design, election test plan development, and election day/post-election support.

“Election Systems & Software is pleased to have been selected by the Florida Association of Counties as their election management vendor of choice,” said Tesi. “ES&S has the products and services that will complement the expertise of the Supervisors of Elections to ensure continued quality elections throughout the state. We are pleased to have this endorsement as a way to demonstrate ES&S’ ability to advance the way Florida administers elections. We look forward to working with all the counties in this partnership to continue to modernise Florida’s election process.”

Election Systems & Software (ES&S) is the world’s largest election management company. Headquartered in Omaha, Neb., with over 400 employees located in eight regional U.S. offices and agents on five continents, ES&S has supported more than 40,000 elections worldwide over the last 35 years. In U.S. elections last year alone, ES&S systems counted over 100 million ballots. ES&S’ hardware and software solutions support the entire election process to include voter registration, ballot production, voting, vote tabulation, and results reporting. For more information on ES&S election solutions, please visit the website at www.essvote.com or call ++44 1488 638 711.
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Contact: Angus Ward
Election Systems & Software Europe
Kilmarnock House, Woolley Barns, Woolley, Wantage, Oxon, 8TA 9NJ, UK
Tel: ++44 1488 638 711 Fax: ++ 44 1488 638 526 Email:award@essvote.com