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Rockwall elections official warns bill changing early‑voting days will raise weekend pay; asks for tablets, poll‑book contingency and promotions
Summary
Elections Administrator Chris Lynch told commissioners the state bill shifting early‑voting start days will raise weekend pay obligations, but he said reimbursements and contract revenue should help. He also sought grant funding for additional vote‑center tablets, and proposed three staff promotions that together add about $13,500 in salary.
Chris Lynch, Rockwall County elections administrator, walked the commissioners through his proposed FY 2026 budget requests and highlighted a pending state change that he said will alter weekend staffing and pay.
Lynch told the court that a recently filed state bill (referred to in the meeting as SB 2753) would move the start of early voting from Monday to Thursday and compress the schedule so early‑voting hours occur over a weekend that previously was not fully worked. "This bill eliminates that. So we'll start instead of starting on a Monday, we'll start on a Thursday, and then we will run all the way through that Tuesday of election day," Lynch said, adding that the change "is going to have an impact" because election workers will be paid for Saturday and Sunday hours that previously were not in the county’s budget.
Lynch said the elections budget already plans for four elections in FY 2026 and that reimbursements from contracted political subdivisions should offset much of the increased outlay. He told commissioners he expects roughly $65,000 to be reimbursed to the county from recent May elections and that those contract payments reduce the net county cost for poll workers and supplies.
Grants and equipment request
Lynch asked the court to approve applying for a state grant to buy additional polling tablets (poll books). He said the county could apply for up to about $42,000 in grant funds with a 20% local match; if the grant is not approved he requested the court budget for 10 additional tablets to support the primary election.
Personnel and promotions
Lynch asked the court to approve three internal promotions and new job descriptions to create a clearer elections staffing structure (assistant coordinator to supervisor, senior clerk to assistant coordinator, clerk to senior clerk). He said the three promotions would increase salaries by roughly $13,500 in total; Lynch said separate, countywide pay increases (COLA/merit) would be a separate decision for the court.
Other notes
Lynch said the county will monitor other bills and await legal guidance from the Texas Secretary of State, noting that some implementation dates in bill language were ambiguous. He also said the county will apply for a grant resolution at an upcoming court meeting and that his office is prepared to manage some of the cost with contract funds and Chapter 19 state monies.
Ending
Commissioners asked questions about staffing, poll‑book purchases, time lines for grant application and whether personnel increases would also receive a separate across‑the‑board cost‑of‑living increase. Lynch said the personnel requests are promotions and left COLA decisions to the court. He said the grant application deadline for polling tablets is not later than June 30 and that the office will bring a resolution for the commissioners to approve if the court wants to proceed. No vote was taken at the workshop.
