Board of Elections pay proposal sent back to elections board after commissioners find process irregular

County elections staff presented comparative data on pay for county board of elections members and chairs and recommended any increase, if approved, be effective with the 2026 fiscal year. The presentation showed surrounding counties’ pay ranges and noted a statutory minimum of $25 per meeting.

Claire Jones, elections director, and Mike Morrow presented the analysis. They reported that the current Harnett County pay is $250 per month for the chair and $200 per month for members. Staff produced an average figure from surrounding counties, noting that larger counties pay more (Wake County’s chair and members were cited as higher examples). County administration recommended that any increase, if approved, become effective July 1, 2026, as part of next year’s budget cycle.

Allison Fenderson, a board of elections member who attended, told commissioners she was surprised by the proposal and said the increase was not discussed by all five members of the elections board. She stated the board had not met to consider the increase and characterized the current discussion as improper until the elections board reaches internal agreement.

Following the exchange, commissioners directed that the matter be returned to the Harnett County Board of Elections for internal discussion so that the full five‑member elections board can deliberate and reach a recommendation before returning to the commissioners. One commissioner said: “I say we send this back to the board of elections so they can, have a meeting and figure that out before coming to us.”

Ending: The board did not adopt a pay change; instead it asked the elections board to meet, reach a unified position, and resubmit any pay proposal for commissioner consideration and possible action during the budget process.