With results certified and an automatic recount completed, Lake County Elections Board is wrapping up the 2017 General Election. Board Director Jan Clair said she is beginning to work on the chargebacks for the election. It’s an odd-year election, so that means the costs of holding an election are being paid for by political subdivisions, such as cities and boards of education. Clair said elections cost about $1,000 to $1,500 per precinct. “There’s a shared expense in November (elections), for any subdivision overlapping another one,” Clair said. “In other words, in November, we had Willoughby City conducting their officers, we had the (Willoughby-Eastlake) Board of Education conducting their elections, so there’s a shared expense.” There were two countywide issues on the ballot, so Lake County pays for those costs.
In even-numbered years, the county pays for the cost to hold primary and general election. The only costs incurred by local subdivision in those elections is if they put an issue on the ballot, and even then they’re only paying for the legal advertisement, Clair said.
A special election held any time other than an even-year primary or general election is paid for by the political subdivision.
February special elections were eliminated in 2015, but August special elections are still allowed under state law.
The costs pay for a number of things. For one, they go to pay for the volunteer poll workers. Poll workers earn $150 per day. The workers get paid for both a two-hour training session as well as for working election day.
Full Article: A look at who foots the bill for holding elections.