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Idaho Secretary of State’s office seeks information to upgrade election management systems

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Idaho Secretary of State’s office seeks information to upgrade election management systems

Dec 05, 2022 | 6:15 am ET
By Kelcie Moseley-Morris
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Idaho Secretary of State’s office seeks information to upgrade election management systems
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A "Vote Here" sign is placed outside a polling place at the Hispanic Cultural Center in Nampa, Idaho, on Nov. 8, 2022. (Otto Kitsinger for Idaho Capital Sun)

The Idaho Secretary of State’s office is soliciting market information from interested vendors who offer software solutions for election management and campaign finance reporting, according to the office’s website.

A request for information typically precedes a request for proposal, when vendors submit bids to secure a contract with the state to provide a product. The information gathering helps the government entity with market research prior to soliciting full bids. The website said the information will be used to form the future state, functional scope, requirements and potential implementation approaches for the secretary of state’s office.

The request for information asks interested companies to describe their solutions for:

  • A state voter registration system database
  • Election management
  • Election night reporting
  • Online voter resources
  • Campaign finance
  • Lobbyist reporting
  • Petition processing

“It is the (office’s) vision that these election management systems are increasingly integrated and involve highly automated processes that are both accurate and secure,” the website said. “Further, solutions must provide a trustworthy and user-friendly interface for the (secretary of state), counties, and voting public.”

Ada County Clerk Phil McGrane, who will be sworn in as the new Idaho secretary of state in January, said during the campaign that upgrading the office’s technology was one of his top priorities. He called technology one of the state’s greatest strengths to secure and protect elections. He also said investments in a better campaign finance system would help make it easier for candidates to comply with the law.

McGrane announced a slate of top staffers for the office late last month.

The responses to the request for information are due by Dec. 30.