Board briefed on $1.8M temporary‑staffing contract for early voting and election support
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Summary
Elections director presented a proposed two‑year $1,814,808 agreement with The Resource Company to supply temporary workers for early voting and election operations to meet new statutory tabulation and absentee deadlines and the potential for additional municipal primaries.
Forsyth County elections staff asked commissioners to approve a two‑year contract, not to exceed $1,814,808, with The Resource Company Inc. to provide temporary staffing for early voting locations, election night staffing and office support.
Elections director Tim Suji told commissioners the Board of Elections requires substantial seasonal staffing to operate a 17‑day early voting period and to meet new statutory timelines enacted by the state legislature. Suji said recent changes — Senate Bill 382 shortened the permissible window for tabulating approved absentee ballots on election night and set new deadlines for processing provisional ballots, and S.L. 2025‑1064 transitions municipal elections to partisan contest formats that can increase the number of elections in odd‑numbered years — mean the office must plan for greater staffing needs and faster post‑election processing.
Suji described an informal procurement that produced nine responses; two bidders met minimum qualifications and The Resource Company (Winston‑Salem) offered the lower markup and pricing and was recommended. He said the bid included a 33 percent markup and the recommendation reflected pricing and evaluation criteria.
Commissioners asked whether the statutory changes altered the length of early voting or the board’s discretion over number and location of sites; Suji replied the 17‑day early voting window and local board discretion on site location remain unchanged. He said the board expects to set the number and locations for the 2026 primary in October or November and that the additional staffing cost implications will be clearer then.
Suji and commissioners discussed operational details: the county will rely on precinct officials and trained chief judges where possible, but additional temporary staff will be required in the office to complete ballot research, scanning and tabulation within the new statutory deadlines. Suji said the contract result is intended to ensure compliance with the new laws.
