County files suit over voter system

YOUNGSTOWN -- Mahoning County is suing a California computer company for breach of contract over a failed voter registration system.
The county prosecutor's office Monday filed suit against Diverse Integrated Systems of Modesto, Calif., from which it seeks damages in excess of $25,000.
The county board of elections hired DIS in May 2004 to link the local computer voter registration database with that of the Ohio Secretary of State. Links between county and state election databases are now required by the federal Help America Vote Act to reduce voter fraud.
The DIS system didn't work, and the company wasn't able to fix the problem, according to the suit.
The board of elections then hired Triad GSI of Xenia, Ohio, last August to provide the link.
Ohio's secretary of state must certify voter registration system vendors before election boards can do business with them. DIS lost its certification to perform such work in December 2004.
Trumbull County also filed suit against DIS last June, claiming breach of contract.