Common Data Language

Election officials are frequently locked into a single vendor’s product line by decisions made years and decades ago in their jurisdiction when the needs were different. The cost of converting the jurisdiction’s entire product line to another vendor and the top to bottom change in procedures often required is prohibitive. Election officials don’t have an opportunity to shop for the best product to meet their needs. Jurisdictions only use products offered by its vendor ... when its vendor develops the product and not before. Existing elections vendors develop, integrate, market, and/or support devices outside of their historical area of expertise and competence. Smaller companies that might focus on a single product – build the best mouse trap so to speak – are locked out because they are required by this marketplace to develop the entire line of products needed by election officials.