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County Clerk Richard Kirby said there will be three touch-screen voting machines at each county precinct, more than enough to take care of local voters.
Kirby said the new machines are "Simple to use," and widely accepted by senior citizens in other counties.
"I think the election process will be much easier," said commission president Larry McCallister. "It will make it much easier to canvass the ballots."
The computerized machines were discussed at a special meeting of the commission this week, directed toward introducing them to the voting public.
Millstone resident Betty Price asked commissioner Rick Sampson why the commission changed their mind after first voting to stick with paper ballots and the current optical scan counter.
Sampson said he first voted against the computerized system after commissioner Weaver made a presentation about problems with the systems around the country, Weaver opposed the change.
"I was for the new machines in the beginning. They're easy and quick to use," he said.
County Clerk Kirby said he would accept responsibility for changing the minds of commissioners McCallister and Sampson.
After Secretary of State Betty Ireland made a new deadline allowing commissions to change their decisions, he said he was convinced the computerized system was the best method.
The new machines are being purchased by the federal government.
Kirby said a touch-screen machine would have been placed in every precinct anyway for people with visual or hearing problems, which would have created two-tiered counting if the county stayed with
paper ballots.
"We would have had two systems," he said.
After Ireland apparently lobbied for touch-screen computers, about seven more counties changed their decision, with 33 now going to computers.
After problems have surfaced around the US with the computers,
West Virginia has required a
paper tape to validate how each person votes.
Kirby said his office plans to use the next several months to introduce the machines to county voters, taking them to community centers for demonstrations.
He plans to train each group of precinct workers
on how to use the machines.
The commission discussed the possibility of purchasing the Khoury Building on Main Street for the use of the WV Supreme Court's family court system, and possibly the local magistrate courts.
The Calhoun Bank owns the property and the court is seeking to find a location to lease. They are asking $145,000 for the building, which would require $35,000 to $40,000 of renovation.
Commission president Larry McCallister met with state officials
regarding the building, and indicated the county might be interested in being the landlord if it worked out to make money for the county. McCallister asked the Mid-Ohio Valley Regional Council to explore
options to finance the purchase of the property.
Assessor Jason Nettles advised the commission that Calhoun will becoming a class nine county (from ten) next year, which will automatically increase the salaries of elected officials and require more money from general funds.
The
Supreme Court has yet to pay about $10,000 the county spent on court house
remodeling for the family court several years ago. They have said they will issue a check soon.
The commission continues to seek a grant to replace or repair deteriorating windows in the courthouse.
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