Rokita Distributes Voting Equipment Funds to Porter County

Contact: AJ Freeney-Ruiz
317-233-8655
Media@sos.in.gov

Indianapolis, IN - Indiana Secretary of State Todd Rokita today distributed election reform money to Porter County. This was part of the latest round of funding Rokita's office is giving to counties from the federal Help America Vote Act (HAVA) of 2002.

Porter County received $395,808 in federal and state money which was distributed by the Secretary of State's office. This latest round of reimbursements brings to $29.9 million the total distributed under HAVA to Indiana counties since Rokita's office began distributing funds to help pay for voting equipment upgrades resulting from the required phase-out of lever and punch card voting machines.

Rokita personally met with Porter County Clerk Dale Brewer to reimburse the county for the new ES&S optical scan voting machines that will be available to all of Porter County's approximately 93,000 voters in all 133 election precincts beginning with the 2006 May Primary Election. Porter County will switch from punch card ballots.

"The counties were very fortunate to have a proactive Secretary of State like Secretary Rokita helping us get through this process." Said Brewer. "I'm glad we can get rid of punch cards here in Porter County and move forward in technology with a system our taxpayers can still count on."

"It is great to see federal and state money being put to good use to help ensure fair and efficient elections for Hoosiers," Rokita said. "Porter County can now focus on other election matters."

Congress passed HAVA in response to issues in various parts of the country during the 2000 Presidential Election. HAVA requires states and counties to replace all punch card and lever machine voting systems by January 1, 2006. A number of Indiana counties will be eligible for additional funding in the coming months.

####