Attempt to get voting machine money fails

The latest move to find state money that’d match the federal funds for Iowa to buy new voting machines has failed. Senate Democrat Leader Mike Gronstal of Council Bluffs says if the state doesn’t put up $400,000 soon, it’ll lose a shot at $8 million in federal money. Gronstal says October 1st is the deadline for the state to put up that $400,000. Gronstal tried but failed to get the Republicans on the Iowa Legislative Council to approve that move yesterday. Gronstal says the partisan squabble over a bill that would change some voting procedures in Iowa may, in the end, force cities and counties to raise property taxes to come up with the money to match those federal funds. Governor Tom Vilsack says there may be another way to come up with the money. Vilsack considering shifting money from one program to another to come up with the state match. Vilsack says some members of Congress believe there’ll only be one year of funding from the feds for voting machine purchases. Vilsack is preparing a message to accompany the veto he promises on the election reform package Republicans crafted. Vilsack says he will not sign a bill that would curtail the voting rights of Iowans.