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County clerk cites rising election and passport demand, warns of Real ID deadline impact
Summary
Essex County Clerk Chris Durkin outlined a largely flat clerk budget but noted higher passport demand, increased postage and ballot-programming costs and the upcoming Real ID deadline that may raise public demand for county services.
Essex County Clerk Chris Durkin told county commissioners the clerk's office budget is largely unchanged for 2025 but flagged rising costs tied to elections, growing passport demand and the federal Real ID deadline.
"Real ID requirements for domestic travel go into effect in about 3 months... May 7," Durkin said, urging residents to obtain Real IDs or passports to avoid travel disruptions.
Durkin said the clerk’s office exceeded passport-fee revenue in 2024, processing more applications than projected, and has expanded hours — including two Saturday openings per month and an additional evening in Newark — to meet demand. He said the office recouped roughly $750,000 in state election grant funds in 2024 and projects passport revenue near $200,000 again in 2025.
On elections, Durkin noted the logistics and costs associated with preparing individually programmed ballots for many districts: the county must produce hundreds of different ballots for primary and general elections and bears the cost of the general election. He also explained that Newark’s April school-board election will allow 16- and 17-year-olds to vote in that city’s school election, with a March 25 registration deadline for those newly eligible voters.
Ending: Commissioners thanked the clerk for outreach efforts and noted the clerk’s community educational work in the run-up to the Real ID deadline and upcoming elections.
