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Records and Elections plans modest cuts, seeks permanent coordinator and cross-training to handle elections workload
Summary
Benton County clerk presented a proposed records and elections budget focused on maintaining passport, recording and election services amid declining recording revenues; the clerk requested two personnel reclassifications (one transition to deputy director) and described reliance on temporary/seasonal staff for election operations.
Benton County Records and Elections Director James Morales outlined a proposed 25-27 budget of roughly $3.98 million (current-service-level), citing personnel costs as the primary driver and a decline in recording fee revenues that reduced dedicated funding for the office.
Why it matters: The clerks office manages property records, marriage licenses, dog licensing, passports and elections. Declines in recording revenue affect county general-fund support and the offices ability to fund systems and temporary election staff.
Presentation highlights - Revenue mix: Morales and county staff said about 30.37% of the offices revenues are from dedicated fees (document recording, passport fees and other charges) and that recording activity has fallen in recent years. The resulting revenue shortfall increases the departments reliance on general fund resources. - Elections staffing and timing: Morales explained the office depends heavily on temporary and seasonal employees during large elections; budget adjustments include a small reduction in temporary election support that could lengthen ballot processing times and increase workload for full-time staff. He told the committee that final ballot tabulation and public reporting timelines could be slower if temporary staff is reduced. - Policy packages and succession: Morales requested two policy packages to reclassify three positions and to formally create a deputy director position for records and elections. Budget staff recommended two reclassifications (net recommended increase ~$131,849 across packages as implemented) to solidify cross-training and succession capacity; Morales noted the requested deputy director change would help long-term continuity. - Passport and marriage services: Morales said the office continues a passport program established during the 2008 budget shortfall and described a new state law that will allow county clerks to delegate marriage ceremony duties to qualified county staff starting January 2026. Morales said that will expand available ceremony slots and better serve residents wanting civil ceremonies.
Operational notes and committee questions Committee members asked about on-call/seasonal staffing levels, drop-box collection logistics and how remote ballot pick-ups are handled; Morales said a mix of volunteers and paid workers collect drop-box ballots and that staffing levels vary by election. Commissioners also discussed records office co-location with assessor and other departments as a workflow and customer-service improvement.
Ending: County staff recommended modest adjustments and two targeted reclassifications to strengthen operations. Morales said the office would continue evaluating ways to offset recording revenue declines and would pursue cross-training to keep election and record services reliable; no vote was taken during the session.
