Board members and elections staff discussed how the office provides lunches for poll workers during election events, with several members reporting complaints about repeated offerings and food handling at certain vendors. Staff and board members described operational difficulties: limited vendor options that can deliver on a tight schedule, incorrect orders when offering multiple choices, and the administrative constraints of county purchasing (no p-card per individual, inability to provide meal credit on paychecks, and complexity of reimbursing many individuals).

Staff reported annual totals for election-day and advance-voting meals in recent years (examples given in the discussion: $8,205 in 2023 and $6,008 in 2024, and $7,903 so far this year) and said the meals are paid from elections supplies or miscellaneous budget lines rather than a separate per-worker line item. Board members raised retention concerns — that meals are a valued perk for part-time poll workers and could affect recruitment and retention — while some members suggested alternatives such as rotating meal vendors, offering pizza once in a while, allowing workers to opt in, or providing a more substantial post-shift appreciation meal rather than on-site lunches.

The board directed staff to run a poll-worker survey to quantify complaints and preferences and to return next month with results. Staff noted operational constraints (some sites lack kitchen facilities; many sites do have refrigerators) and said the office will explore menu variety, potential vendor coordination to deliver within a short lunch window, and whether the county’s procurement rules require changes to permit different approaches. No formal policy change or budget reallocation was approved at the meeting; members asked staff to present survey results and cost options at the next meeting.