Hawaii Selects New Voting System

by Rex Quidilla, State of Hawaii

published 01/31/2008

The Office of Elections has announced today that Hart InterCivic has been selected to provide the State of Hawaii with eScan and eSlate voting equipment for the 2008 Elections.

Hart InterCivic is a privately held corporation based in Austin, Texas and is one of the nation's largest providers of voting systems with customers in 13 states and hundreds of local jurisdictions, including two of the nation's largest counties. Hart InterCivic is a recipient of the Samaritan Center Ethics in Business Award. The state used eSlate voting machines for disabled voters in the 2004 and 2006 elections.

Each polling place will have an eScan paper ballot and eSlate (DRE) with a verifiable ballot option (Voter Verifiable Paper Audit Trail). The voters will have the option of choosing which system to vote on. The system meets the requirements of the Federal Help America Vote Act.

"Hart not only provided the best solution from a voter's point of view, but it also provided the best option as far as administering the election," said Rex Quidilla, Chairperson of the evaluation committee.

Hart InterCivic was selected by the evaluation committee because of its ease of use. "As a voter who is visually impaired, I found the eSlate by Hart to be the most accessible and user friendly for voters who are blind and have low vision," said Judy Paik, an evaluation committee member.

The contract begins in 2008 and expires on December 31, 2016, with an option to extend for the 2018 Elections. The total cost of the contract is $43.4 million.

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