Legislature advances e-poll book contract; discusses board of elections commissioners' salaries

Cayuga County legislators voted to authorize a contract for e-poll books and amend the 2025 budget to accept related grant revenue, and spent time discussing how to establish salaries for two board of elections commissioners who were appointed in November without a listed salary.

The committee approved a resolution authorizing execution of a contract with Robus Elections Inc. for the purchase of e-poll books and amending the 2025 budget to carry forward grant revenue and the equipment line. "This resolution authorizes the contract with Robust and the lines in 2025," Chantelle, a board of elections staffer, said before members moved and seconded the motion. The committee voice-voted to approve the measure: "Aye. Aye." (motion GO1 passed).

Why it matters: The contract will allow the board of elections to use grant dollars that arrived after the budget was adopted to buy electronic poll books, equipment the board said it needs to modernize polling operations. Separately, the legislature must decide whether to set a permanent salary for the two commissioners who began their four-year appointments without a salary amount specified.

Discussion and context: Legislator Mark raised confusion about paperwork and several emails concerning commissioner pay. Chantelle said the matter was handled while a colleague was on vacation and that part-time deputies and two part-timers had not received a planned raise; staff had been working on a retroactive resolution. "For our... two part timers and our two deputies, they did not get their raise and they were working on putting a resolution through to give them their raise retroactive back to the first," Chantelle said.

County counsel guidance was summarized by a legislator as follows: because the two commissioners were appointed without a listed salary, the legislature could set a local law next month, hold a public hearing and reestablish those appointments with a salary included, if the board of elections budget can cover the increased amounts. "If the budget the Board of Elections budget can cover the $35,000 two salaries and the legislature moves that forward, set a public hearing, approve that, then it can get done," the legislator said.

On the question of a countywide primary site, Chantelle said staff were waiting to see whether enough petitions would be returned to require a primary; if not, a countywide mall site would likely not be needed. "I believe because he's waiting to see we need to get the petitions back to find out if we're even gonna need to have a primary," Chantelle said.

What passed: The formal action recorded at this meeting was the e-poll books contract authorization and the budget amendment to carry the grant revenue into 2025 (GO1). The committee approved the motion by voice vote.

What remains open: The compensation level for the two appointed board of elections commissioners was left for further legislative consideration. Committee members indicated they could revisit and set the salary next month, including the public hearing process recommended by county counsel.

Ending: Legislators said they would revisit the salary question at the next meeting if there is interest; the e-poll book contract will proceed as authorized by this resolution and budget amendment.