Sponsor: Property Tax, Records & Election Services
Title
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Single Source Agreement with KNOWiNK, LLC for Election Poll Pad System and Professional Support Services
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Recommendation
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1. Approve the selection of and single source agreement with KNOWiNK, LLC, 460 N. Lindbergh Boulevard, Saint Louis, MO, 63141 for an electronic poll pad system and professional support services for the period October 17, 2023 through October 18, 2026 and may be renewed for up to two additional three-year periods, for the not to exceed amount of $1,141,052.
2. Authorize the Chair and the Chief Clerk to execute the agreement.
3. Authorize the County Manager to approve amendments to agreements in accordance with the county’s procurement policies and procedures, provided the amounts are within the limits of available funding.
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Background and Rationale
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Voters, elections judges and administrators have come to rely on electronic rosters, known as poll pads, electronic poll books (EPB), or electronic poll pads. In 2013, the Minnesota legislature convened an Electronic Roster Task Force (ERTF). The focus was on different EPBs and their functionality, security, certification, and compatibility with the Statewide Voter Registration System (SVRS). ERTF worked in collaboration with MN IT, the Minnesota Secretary of State’s Office and county participants (including Ramsey County). After a successful test in the 2014 election, the legislature authorized counties, cities, and municipalities in the 2014 omnibus elections bill to use EPB’s in any election.
The KNOWiNK Poll Pad System includes equipment (hardware and computer peripheral) and licensed software. KNOWiNK offers professional support services before, during and after elections. The software is capable of verifying that voters are in the correct precinct, informing voters of the correct precinct if they are in the wrong precinct, and will not allow the voter to vote in an incorrect precinct. If there is a challenge to a voter record, there are step by step instructions on how to handle the challenge and if a voter is registering for the first time on election day, the voter registration application is divided into sections to clearly allow election judges and the voters to complete the required sections.
KNOWiNK meets the requirements of Minnesota Statues 201.225 subdivision. 2, for EPB providers. KNOWiNK is the only pollbook vendor used in Minnesota. A statewide user group is set-up to support election administrators who use the KNOWiNK solution. KNOWiNK has partnered with Ramsey County elections since 2013. Ramsey County has fully implemented KNOWiNK pollpads to all 165 precincts in Ramsey County.
Ramsey County evaluated and assessed three vendors, ES&S, Hart and KNOWiNK during the 2013 discovery process. KNOWiNK is the only competitive vendor that was able to meet the security and technical requirements of Minnesota Statues 201.225 subdivision 2.
Ramsey County Elections Services collaborated with Information Services Security and Infrastructure, and completed a physical and cyber review with the Department of Homeland Security. Additionally, Elections worked closely with Information Services Security to evaluate any risks and worked to identify and resolve any potential gaps. The voters of the county have come to expect the efficiencies, security, and ease of checking in electronically to vote. The EPBs create confidence with voters, a positive public perception, and provide efficiencies that the Elections office has come to rely on. State law requires administrators to post voting history and complete the data entry of voter registration applications within six weeks from election day. With KNOWiNK’s Poll Pad System, the county completes this work within two weeks.
The current hardware is now aged and unsupported and cannot be upgraded. New devices with the latest operating system will be required. Previously, through the state of Minnesota cooperative contract the approximate cost of services for software maintenance is $65,000 annually. With the new agreement, Elections will have the option to lease EPB’s with the latest operating systems for maximum efficiency. This upgrade will significantly increase the annual costs due to implementation of the newly leased and/or purchased devices.
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County Goals (Check those advanced by Action)
☐ Well-being ☒ Prosperity ☐ Opportunity ☐ Accountability
Racial Equity Impact
The Ramsey County community, which includes communities of color and ethnically and financially diverse communities has benefitted from the use of EPB’s in a variety of ways. EPBs allow for reduced voter check-in times, electronic voter registration, poll workers to engage with residents more easily because they are not tied to stations; and more. This creates efficiency, opportunity to build trust between poll workers and the community and trust between residents and technology applications.
Community Participation Level and Impact
EPBs allow county residents to have an efficient and accurate voting experience. EPBs drastically decrease the time required to check-in a voter at their polling place. Research from 2018 has shown that wait times at polling places discourages voting and can disenfranchise voters. The Presidential Commission on Election Administration has set 30 minutes as the acceptable threshold to wait. Since implementing electronic poll pads in 2019 Ramsey County has not received any report of wait times exceeding this standard. EPBs can also quickly inform a voter if they are in the wrong precinct and direct them to the correct precinct. Finally, EPBs allow for electronic voter registration.
☒ Inform ☐ Consult ☐ Involve ☐ Collaborate ☐ Empower
Fiscal Impact
Costs under the new contract are estimated to not exceed $126,783 annually. Funding is available in the Election Services Operating Budget.
Last Previous Action
None.
Attachments
1. Approved Single Source Request Form
2. Professional Services Agreement between KNOWiNK, LLC and Ramsey County, PRREL000035.