Guam - Bill 430 has been introduced to provide the financial commitment needed by the Guam Election Commission's vendor, Electronic Systems & Software.  The legislation would appropriate $140,000 to pay ES&S come next fiscal year, which starts in October.

Speaker Judi Won Pat is a co-sponsor of Bill 430 and says legislation may just be placed as an amendment into the overall budget for Fiscal Year 2011.

She told KUAM News, "In August we will be addressing their budget because it is a budget issue it could be placed in the budget itself rather than treating it as a separate bill because they did mention this, as well as when they first came to the Legislature to be able to appropriate now would be difficult but for the new fiscal year that should not be a problem."

$140,000 is owed to ES&S for Decision 2008. If the vendor does not receive a commitment from the government that it will pay its debt it will not provide assistance in the upcoming election cycle, GEC staffers will be left handcounting ballots.