The Kankakee County board held its regular meeting on Oct. 13.
After urging from Circuit Clerk Sandra Cianci during public comment, the board unanimously approved a contract with the State's Attorney Appellate Prosecutor. In addition to helping negotiate a new contract with the Circuit Clerk's office, the appellate prosecutor will assist the county in a series of eight different bargaining agreements over the next few months.
The board also unanimously approved a software license and service agreement for 125 electronic polling tablets for next year's election cycle. The equipment is made by Knowink and will cost the county $175,000 over the next three years.
Municipalities across Illinois are transitioning to electronic polling equipment to help minimize election staff and to make it easier for them to register new voters the day of elections, check voter registration status and see if voters have already voted. The software also makes voting data available in real time, making valuable voter history information more readily accessible than in the past.
Several board members raised concerns about having the technology forced upon them, but the consensus maintained that despite the high price tag, it would require more staff, incur higher staffing costs and result in more cumbersome work for election staff if they pass on the opportunity to use the Knowink equipment.
Board members Tholen, Stutt, Johnson and McConnell were absent from the meeting.
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