OPENPUBLICA · PUBLIC MEETING RECORD
Record of Proceedings

Marion County Election Board Approves Contracts and Adopts Vote Center Plan on March 6, 2026

Other Meetings (J-Z) — Friday, March 6, 2026
BodyIndianapolis, Indiana
SessionOther Meetings (J-Z)
DateFriday, March 6, 2026
StatusFILED
Video Record
0:00 / 1:05:14

Transcript — Verbatim
0:01

Good morning, everyone.

0:02

We'll call the uh Marion County election board meeting to order here March 6th.

0:07

It is 10 07 a.m.

0:10

Before we get started, we'll do a round of introductions.

0:14

Um we'll start with the board, we'll have staff and then council.

0:18

So I'll start with myself, Nolita Stewart, Chair.

0:21

Good morning, Jennifer Ping, Vice Chair.

0:24

Kate Sweeney Bell, Secretary.

0:26

Patrick Becker, Director of Elections.

0:29

Brad Boswell, outside council.

0:31

Daniel Pullium Outside Council.

0:35

Adam Wicker Corporation Council.

0:37

Okay.

0:38

Thank you.

0:38

Thanks for everyone for introductions.

0:40

We'll uh jump right into the agenda here.

0:43

We have a number of contracts to review and approve.

0:46

Um so uh I'll kick it over to you, Director Becker to go through the first one, Blue Crest.

0:53

Thank you, Madam Chair.

0:54

Um in front of you are um a series of of memorandums uh regarding these contracts, and um want to go through these individually.

1:04

Um the first, as you mentioned, is uh DMT Global Uh Solutions Global Corporation doing business as Bluecrest.

1:12

Um staff is uh requesting the board approve and authorize uh a new agreement with Blue Crest to continue licensing and support uh for hardware and software for our Relia vote uh vote by mail solution.

1:26

Uh the original contract and scope uh were negotiated using a national purchase national purchase agreement for the hardware um as well as software.

1:36

That purchase agreement expired in 2025, the national purchase agreement.

1:41

Uh so this is a new agreement that is substantially similar to the one previously approved by this board in 2022.

1:48

However, it does not include uh any references to the national purchase agreement.

1:53

Uh because we already have procured the the equipment, um, this is really just ongoing um you know, licensing fees uh support and maintenance.

2:03

Um so it is a substantially smaller contract because um it does not have those national purchase agreement um those documents in there.

2:13

Um the original contract uh was from 2022 through 2024, um, and it was a not to exceed of two million dollars.

2:21

Uh this new contract would be um from 2025 through 2027, and it would be uh a not to exceed of 475,000 dollars.

2:32

Um happy to answer any uh questions that you might have.

2:38

Questions from the board.

2:39

Do you want to really is it easier to go through each of them and then vote separately?

2:46

You want to go ahead and vote on bluecrest?

2:48

Uh council.

2:51

It doesn't matter either way.

2:53

Okay, I'll take a motion to for bluecrest.

2:57

I move approval.

2:58

Second.

2:59

Okay, properly motion a second, show the chair voting aye.

3:05

I vote aye.

3:07

No, sorry.

3:08

Probably motion a second.

3:10

I'll call Roe, Vice Chair.

3:11

I'll Madam Clerk, and show the chair voting aye.

3:14

Sorry, we went too fast there.

3:17

The next one, Director Becker.

3:19

Thank you, Madam Chair.

3:20

The next one is for um knowing LLC.

3:23

Um I did want to uh provide a brief update for the board on this.

3:28

Um so it uh and I referenced this in the memo for you that we are currently in an RFP for a long-term e-poll book solution.

3:38

Uh that RFP has uh kind of taken uh too long for us to get um to feel confident that we're we'd be able to have a a new system up and running for this election.

3:48

So what's in front of you today is um uh what we would consider sort of transition contract uh that is a short-term contract with no ink uh using the same hardware and software that we used in 2024 to get us through the the May election.

4:06

Uh so this contract um is is an amendment to uh uh a previous agreement.

4:13

Um the the original contract uh terms were negotiated in 2018.

4:20

Uh the contract has been amended a few times um since then.

4:24

Um the original um not to exceed is um 1.5 million dollars.

4:30

Um the amended contract for March through May of 2026 would be a not to exceed of an additional 40,000 dollars.

4:39

Um so that covers the support and licensing that we need for uh this upcoming primary.

4:45

Uh the intention would be that post-primary this board would make a decision and award a long-term e-poll book contract based on the RFP that we've um that's underway right now.

Discussion Breakdown — Share of Meeting
Elections██████████████████████████26%
Technology and Innovation███████████████████████23%
Pending Litigation███████████11%
Public Engagement██████████10%
Public Safety████████8%
Personnel Matters████████8%
Election Procedures████████8%
Ethics████4%
Procedural██2%
Summary of Proceedings

Marion County Election Board Approves Contracts and Adopts Vote Center Plan on March 6, 2026

The Marion County Election Board met on March 6, 2026, to approve six contracts, ratify the primary election ballot (a statutory milestone), adopt the 2026 primary vote center plan, and refer an investigation of Secretary of State Diego Morales to the Indiana Inspector General and State Ethics Commission for alleged misuse of state resources for political purposes. All votes were unanimous.

Discussion Items

  • Contract Approvals: Director Patrick Becker presented six contracts for board approval, each approved unanimously (3-0 or 4-0 with Chair, Vice Chair, Secretary voting aye):

    1. DMT Global Solutions (BlueCrest) – New agreement for ReliaVote vote-by-mail hardware/software licensing and support (2025–2027), not to exceed $475,000 (reduced from prior $2M national purchase agreement).
    2. KNOWiNK LLC – Short-term amendment for e-poll book support through May 2026 primary, not to exceed additional $40,000, pending long-term RFP decision post-primary.
    3. Faegre Drinker Biddle & Reath – Three-year legal services contract (2026–2028) for election-related litigation, not to exceed $1.5M.
    4. Robert Half (OfficeTeam) – One-year temporary staffing contract for 2026 elections, not to exceed previous amended amount; staff committed to rebid for 2027+.
    5. Bredensteiner Imaging – Three-year printing services (2026–2028) for specialized election envelopes, not to exceed $500,000, awarded via RFB-45 ELC-33.
    6. Pristine Image International – Amendment for cleaning services at Election Service Center (2026–2027), not to exceed $50,000 (increase due to pending facility move); future amendment expected for new facility pricing.

  • Ballot Ratification: By statute 60 days before the primary, the board ratified the ballot. Director Becker reported 1,252 unique ballot styles, nearly 1,200 candidate filings, and over 100 candidate challenges. Ballot proofing completed through six rounds. Staff will now test every ballot marking device, tabulator, and e-poll book combination.

  • Vote Center Plan Adoption: Becker presented the 2026 primary vote center plan with 182 election-day locations (down from 186 in November 2024). Notable changes: return to Pike Library (replacing Pike High School performing arts center), new Lawrence Township early voting site at Fort Bend Library (due to Craig Academy construction), and return to Cranert Park in Wayne Township (replacing Thatcher). First Friends Meeting House was dropped after a 2024 incident referred to prosecutors. The plan includes poll worker roles and pay (Inspectors $240, Clerks $150 full day/$75 half day, plus $30 training stipend). The board adopted the plan unanimously.

  • Referral of Investigation into Secretary of State Diego Morales: Outside counsel Brad Boswell and Daniel Pullium reported findings that Secretary Morales used footage filmed at the Election Service Center in a campaign video, potentially violating Title IV (misuse of state resources). After multiple requests for an interview and a formal notice with no response, the board voted unanimously to refer the matter to the Indiana Inspector General and State Ethics Commission. A separate motion carried 3-0 to prohibit Secretary Morales from entering non-public areas of the Election Service Center warehouse for the 2026 elections.

Key Outcomes

  • Six contracts approved unanimously (all 3-0 or 4-0 votes).
  • Primary ballot ratified (statutory milestone, no formal vote required).
  • 2026 primary vote center plan adopted unanimously.
  • Investigation of Secretary of State Diego Morales referred to Indiana Inspector General and State Ethics Commission (unanimous).
  • Secretary Morales prohibited from non-public areas of the Election Service Center warehouse for 2026 elections (unanimous).
  • Next scheduled meeting: public test of voting equipment on April 3, 2026 (Good Friday) at the Election Service Center.

Public Comments & Testimony

  • No public comments were made.

Meeting Transcript

Good morning, everyone. We'll call the uh Marion County election board meeting to order here March 6th. It is 10 07 a.m. Before we get started, we'll do a round of introductions. Um we'll start with the board, we'll have staff and then council. So I'll start with myself, Nolita Stewart, Chair. Good morning, Jennifer Ping, Vice Chair. Kate Sweeney Bell, Secretary. Patrick Becker, Director of Elections. Brad Boswell, outside council. Daniel Pullium Outside Council. Adam Wicker Corporation Council. Okay. Thank you. Thanks for everyone for introductions. We'll uh jump right into the agenda here. We have a number of contracts to review and approve. Um so uh I'll kick it over to you, Director Becker to go through the first one, Blue Crest. Thank you, Madam Chair. Um in front of you are um a series of of memorandums uh regarding these contracts, and um want to go through these individually. Um the first, as you mentioned, is uh DMT Global Uh Solutions Global Corporation doing business as Bluecrest. Um staff is uh requesting the board approve and authorize uh a new agreement with Blue Crest to continue licensing and support uh for hardware and software for our Relia vote uh vote by mail solution. Uh the original contract and scope uh were negotiated using a national purchase national purchase agreement for the hardware um as well as software. That purchase agreement expired in 2025, the national purchase agreement. Uh so this is a new agreement that is substantially similar to the one previously approved by this board in 2022. However, it does not include uh any references to the national purchase agreement. Uh because we already have procured the the equipment, um, this is really just ongoing um you know, licensing fees uh support and maintenance. Um so it is a substantially smaller contract because um it does not have those national purchase agreement um those documents in there. Um the original contract uh was from 2022 through 2024, um, and it was a not to exceed of two million dollars. Uh this new contract would be um from 2025 through 2027, and it would be uh a not to exceed of 475,000 dollars. Um happy to answer any uh questions that you might have. Questions from the board. Do you want to really is it easier to go through each of them and then vote separately? You want to go ahead and vote on bluecrest? Uh council. It doesn't matter either way. Okay, I'll take a motion to for bluecrest. I move approval. Second. Okay, properly motion a second, show the chair voting aye. I vote aye. No, sorry. Probably motion a second. I'll call Roe, Vice Chair. I'll Madam Clerk, and show the chair voting aye. Sorry, we went too fast there. The next one, Director Becker. Thank you, Madam Chair. The next one is for um knowing LLC. Um I did want to uh provide a brief update for the board on this.

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