Price tag for County elections to rise in FY2024

County Elections Supervisor Kaitlyn Mosley informed County Commissioners that election rules “are changing” and she may need extra funds in her fiscal year 2024 budget to pay poll workers for extended hours required by new state laws.

Ms. Mosley presented her budget requests to the Commissioners at their June 12 meeting. The Commissioners are meeting at least weekly throughout the summer to come up with a new budget by the end of the fiscal year on Sept. 30. Ms. Mosley said. “During the primary, we have to be open longer, 12 hours per day, five days per week, and six hours on weekends,” she told the Commissioners. Prior to the new law, “most early voting days were nine hours a day, 45 hours a week, and usually no weekend voting,” she said.

Ms. Mosley said she was exploring the idea of having high school and college students “work with older poll workers” to plug anticipated staffing gaps. She said the County will be paying for four elections, including presidential primaries, , in the fiscal year 2024 budget.