Committee reviews Board of Elections FY26 budget, recommends packet to full council

The Government Operations and Fiscal Policy Committee on [date not specified] reviewed the Montgomery County Board of Elections’ proposed FY26 operating budget and agreed, by consensus, to recommend the packet to the full County Council.

Committee staff member Gazalia, presenting the packet, said the county executive’s recommendation reflects an overall decrease of about $2,900,000 — a 16.96% reduction from the FY25 approved operating budget, while noting targeted increases for specific election needs. “The executive’s recommendation includes a $192,000 increase for the compensation adjustments and required operating expenses,” Gazalia said, and identified five proposed enhancements that total about $1.2 million and several reductions that together account for roughly $4.9 million in decreases.

The enhancements staff detailed include a $463,786 overtime adjustment, $300,119 for seasonal temporary staff, $300,000 to continue rebuilding the election worker management system, $200,000 to restore the election judge stipend, and $21,867 to convert two office services coordinator positions from part time to full time.

Dav…