Reply #56: full article says election board has both R&D. Follow money trail:

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I wonder if KC would get this federal $2MM if not for Diebold system.

<snip>The federal government is giving the board $2 million to upgrade its voting machines. The Diebold proposal added another $35,000 to that amount, which local taxpayers must provide. By contrast, the other system under final consideration, sold by California-based Sequoia Voting Systems, would have cost local taxpayers an additional $252,000, a price gap board members said was too big to ignore.

Diebold has also faced intense criticism from some election observers who have criticized campaign donations from the president of the company to the Republican Party and President Bush. Ray James, the election board’s Republican director, said no election “professionals” had voiced concerns about Diebold’s performance