Lee commissioners hold off on approving nearly $900K for election equipment

LEE COUNTY, Fla.- Lee County will not spend nearly $900,000 on new iPads for upcoming elections.

Commissioners lashed out, concerned about the big price tag to replace equipment less than two years old.

Lee County elections supervisor Sharon Harrington says the new iPads can communicate wirelessly with voter registration equipment, while the current equipment can’t.

The county paid $750,000 for 800 pads just a couple years ago.

“I think that anybody is going to be surprised at a $900,000 fix, it’s a huge fix,” said Commissioner Larry Kiker.

Harrington and commissioners had a testy showdown at a budget workshop. She argued the new pads would prevent fraud. The current system requires a poll worker to call in, to verify changes in address or name.

“Any time our office invests money in equipment, new procedures, new software, new hardware, to me that’s not wasting money, it’s an investment,” said Harrington.

Commissioners told Harrington she may have to make do with the current pads, in the 2016 presidential election.