MAY 2, 2024
FREE
BERLIN • NORTH WORCESTER COUNTY• OCEAN PINES
OP picks election provider Pittsburgh company will handle 2024 voting cycle
PHOTO COURTESY JAY KNERR
STEVE GREEN/BAYSIDE GAZETTE
GOING, GOING … The long-awaited demolition of a portion of the old chicken processing plant at Heron Park is pictured this week. Crews from JNT Enterprises will be demolishing dilapidated structures on the properties and cleaning up other buildings, thanks to a strategic demolition grant the Town of Berlin received from the Maryland Department of Housing and Community Development.
By Tara Fischer Staff Writer (May 2, 2024) The Ocean Pines Association Board of Directors has hired the Pittsburgh-based MK Election Services, a company that offers observable ballot counting, to handle the governing body’s 2024 voting cycle. The Elections Committee recommended the company's selection, which the OPA Board of Directors approved in a 6-1 vote at a special meeting on Wednesday, April 24. Director Steve Jacobs was the sole dissenting voice. Elections Committee Chair Tom Piatti said MK Election Services was chosen for its dedication to precision, its East Coast location, and its offer of an observable count. The company’s website promises “quick turnaround, detailed data and reports, and the highest degree of transparency.” The selected contractor allows residents to watch the ballot counting via Zoom. Questionable ballots and documents with incorrect markings are flagged, and the Elections Committee reviews whether they should be considered. This, along with additional processes, is viewable to all eligible voters. The total cost of MK Election Services is $26,335. President Rick Farr said that the OPA budget line for elections referendums is $35,000. The YesElections company from New York, approximately $6,000 less than the approved company, was also considered but did not offer viewable ballot tallying. Instead, the company provide a 10% nonprofit discount and a fixed election service pricing for three years. Most of the committee and board still opted for the transSee LOCATION Page 3
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