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Supervisor of Elections outlines special‑election costs, seeks equipment upgrades to replace aging poll books
Summary
Supervisor of Elections Bobanek told commissioners the two upcoming special elections are estimated to cost about $735,000 (primary) and $749,000 (general) and said those costs are temporarily borne by the county and later reimbursed by the state; he also requested roughly $930,000 to upgrade remaining election equipment.
Supervisor of Elections Bobanek told commissioners he has provided cost estimates for two upcoming special elections and an initial budget request for fiscal 2025–26.
Bobanek estimated the special primary will cost about $735,000 and the special general about $749,000. He emphasized that the county initially pays these costs and the state later reimburses exact expenses. “All of these dollars will be reimbursed by the state,” he said.
The nut graph: Bobanek asked the board to note that special elections produce one‑time, reimbursable cash outlays and to consider an equipment upgrade request in the next budget year because some of the county’s poll‑book units and tabulators are aged and out of warranty.
Bobanek said the elections office is budgeting roughly $7.17 million for 2025–26, an approximate 6.94% increase over the current year. He said about $930,000 of that request would fund upgrades to the remaining electronic poll books and related equipment. The current poll‑book units run Windows 10 and are beyond the vendor’s recommended lifecycle; the vendor guarantees a 10‑year lifecycle for new units, Bobanek said.
He also told the board the office is monitoring proposed legislative changes that could add workload or costs — for example proposals affecting petition processing or security procedures — and said staff will return with updated budget information after the legislative session concludes.
Bobanek added that the elections office is trading in older equipment where vendors allow it, and that the office has adjusted staffing and early‑voting plans to reflect expected turnout for the special contests.
Ending: Bobanek said the office will provide additional budget details after the legislative session and when final prices and reimbursements are known. He asked commissioners to treat the equipment upgrade request as an important investment in election security and operations.
