To: Dale K. Weighill, Governmental Operations Committee Chairperson
From: Domonique Clemons, Genesee County Clerk and Register of Deeds
title
RE: Approval of an agreement between Genesee County and Civera, in an amount not to exceed $41,700.00, to provide for an online searchable historical election results database and statistics tool; the cost of this agreement will be paid from account 1010-215.00-933.001
recommendation
BOARD ACTION REQUESTED:
Approval of an agreement between Genesee County and Civera, in an amount not to exceed $41,700 to provide for online searchable historical election results database and statistics tool.
BACKGROUND:
ElectionStats by Civera is a direct-to-consumer database that allows the elections office to download current and historic election data to our website that can be accessed by the public. This database allows journalists and concerned citizens to access election information without the direct involvement of election staff. It also allows candidates and civic groups to analyze data for information about how to allocate resources for future elections. There currently is no other product like this on the market. The closest comparison is an election night reporting system. ElectionStats is different as it is a storehouse of all past elections that grows with time and is used for longitudinal research and analysis in addition to one-off reference lookups on past elections. No other vendor provides a comprehensive database of current and historical election data that is secure and can be easily accessed by the public. In recent years there has been a large uptick in public information requests from our office for historical election data that can be aggregated. Each public information request is a request for a specific group of data that needs to be gathered, downloaded, and provided to the requestor. The process for gathering this data is a drain on staff resources and they generally happen in the least opportune time, when elections are actively taking place. The purchase of this product will free up labor time for election staff and allow them to focus on putting on current elections rather than constantly researching and providing data from previous elections.
DISCUSSION:
This tool is different and much more intensive than just the election night reporting system currently used in Genesee County. This provides historical data of past elections that can be analyzed and compared over time. For example, you could search for a candidate’s name and see every race and results that that candidate participated, rather than having to search election by election. We have had several requests for a tool like this in Genesee County for years. A product like this helps provide greater transparency and makes information more readily available to our community. Internally we often have departments asking us what year a millage was on the ballot and what the results were. This tool would allow them to simply search for the millage and see the results for every time it was on the ballot.
IMPACT ON HUMAN RESOURCES:
This would have no impact on Human Resources
IMPACT ON BUDGET:
This is a budgeted expense of $41,700 from account County Clerk Elections Division Annual Software Charge account number 1010-215.00-933.001
IMPACT ON FACILITIES:
None
IMPACT ON TECHNOLOGY:
There will be minimal impact on IT, But IT will be involved in linked the solution to the Clerks website.
CONFORMITY TO COUNTY PRIORITIES:
By being a planned and budgeted expense that went through extensive research we are adhering to the long-term financial stability priority of the county. This initiative also supports inclusive, collaborative culture by making election data more easily accessible to the public and leveling the playing field. Accessing this data currently would take significant time, and search capabilities, and may require multiple contacts within our office that can become burdensome to residents with limited means. Having more accessible information also supports the goal of community growth.
resolution
TO THE HONORABLE CHAIRPERSON AND MEMBERS OF THE GENESEE COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS, GENESEE COUNTY, MICHIGAN
LADIES AND GENTLEMEN:
BE IT RESOLVED, by this Board of County Commissioners of Genesee County, Michigan, that the request by the Office of County Clerk/Register to authorize entering into a software services and software license agreement between Genesee County and Civera, whereby the contractor will provide an online searchable historical election results database and statistics tool, at a total cost not to exceed $41,700.00 to be paid from account 1010-215.00-933.001, for the period commencing , through , is approved (a copy of the memorandum request and supporting documents being on file with the official records of the meeting of the Governmental Operations Committee of this Board), and the Chairperson of this Board is authorized to execute the agreement on behalf of Genesee County.