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Elections office requests contingency funding and warns of timing pressures for 2026 special election
Summary
The county elections official requested up to $395,000 from contingency to cover operations for an anticipated special election and to fund required drop boxes and outreach; staff warned that procurement and reimbursement timelines create cash-flow pressure for the November election cycle.
San Benito County elections staff asked the Board of Supervisors to reserve up to $395,000 from contingency to cover costs associated with a potential special election and state-mandated ballot drop-box requirements.
Elections staff told the board that state legislation will require certain drop-box access and that some minimum drop-box locations are mandated for the district. The office asked the board to authorize contingency funding now so procurement, vendor orders, staffing and training can begin in time for the November 2026 primary cycle and to ensure ballots and envelopes can be printed, packaged and distributed on schedule.
Staff said the county will seek reimbursement from the state but noted the reimbursement timeline can take several weeks to months. The elections official said requests for reimbursement generally return funds about 40 days after submission but that county cash flow may require the county to front costs as early as December to ensure vendors are paid and that equipment arrives in time for ballot processing.
Officials also told supervisors they had requested additional outreach funding (the transcript referenced an outreach request in the $90,000 range) for paid social and community outreach to notify voters about drop-box locations and changes to procedures. The elections office said outreach funding would help ensure voters in lower‑access areas know where to return ballots.
Several members of the public and board members raised questions about reimbursement timing, whether the county could be fully reimbursed for all added drop boxes and whether the state would cover outreach costs. Staff said they would pursue state reimbursement and would return to the board with specifics and any request for formal appropriation from contingency.
No formal vote to allocate the $395,000 contingency appeared in the excerpted transcript; the item as discussed represents a staff request and planning step in advance of potential formal action.
