LANSING – Replacing the aging optical scan machines acquired after the 2000 election fiasco in Florida brought Michigan’s then-balkanized voting system under scrutiny and is now a priority for Governor Rick Snyder.

Snyder, in his 2016-17 fiscal year budget recommendation, called for $10 million General Fund to go toward new equipment, to be matched with $5 million in local funds. He also said Michigan still has $25 million in Help America Vote Act funds remaining to aide new equipment purchases.

Secretary of State Ruth Johnson hailed the inclusion of the funds in the upcoming budget.

“I appreciate Governor Snyder’s commitment to upgrading our state’s aging election equipment,” Ms. Johnson said in a statement. “I look forward to working with lawmakers now to win their support for this reasonable plan, and I encourage city and township leaders to offer their support as well. Our election equipment has served us well, but we should act before we start seeing widespread equipment failures as the machines reach the end of their useful life.”

Prior to the 2000 election controversy, Michigan’s voting systems varied community by community, with many using punch card, some using optical scan, others using old lever machines and still others plain paper ballots. The federal funds through the Help America Vote Act paid for converting all municipalities in the state to optical scan.

Sen. Jim Stamas (R-Midland), chair of the Senate Appropriations General Government Subcommittee, pushed for $10 million last year as the 2015-16 fiscal year budget was being assembled, but could not win support outside the Senate.

Rep. Laura Cox (R-Livonia), chair of the House Appropriations General Government Subcommittee, said Johnson has made the case for new equipment.

“I think this might be a good way to start. I don’t want to be overly zealous because I need to look at the budget in totality,” she said.

There is some discussion about whether the counties should have to pay and whether it sets a bad precedent for the state to pick up the cost, Ms. Cox said.

“Those are the kind of conversations we’re going to need to have in our deliberations,” she said.

Overall, Snyder proposes $258 million for the Department of State ($27.1 million General Fund), a 12.1 percent increase from the current year (22.3 percent increase General Fund).

STATE SUPPLEMENTAL: The Department of State would receive $3.8 million more in General Funds to cover the costs of implementing new registration fees under the recent transportation funding package.

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