Ohio’s elections chief wants new voting machines by 2020

Associated Press

COLUMBUS

Ohio’s elections chief wants counties to modernize their voting machines before the 2020 presidential election, and he’s urging the governor and state lawmakers to foot much of the bill.

Republican Secretary of State Jon Husted sent a letter to Gov. John Kasich, his budget director and state legislative leaders Thursday seeking $118 million in state capital funds for the project.

Husted said the $118 million would cover 100 percent of the “lowest estimated cost” for new equipment: optical scan machines his office’s review found to cost least among state and federally certified machines.