Sumner County’s election administrator presented a request for one‑time funding for convenience voting centers and increased poll‑worker pay, saying the convenience centers would change staffing needs and add costs in a presidential‑size election year.

Administrator Ashley told the committee the commission’s plan expands convenience centers based on population and precinct distribution considerations. She estimated the county would need about $394,896 to operate the proposed convenience centers and associated staffing in the next cycle. The commission also asked for a separate $92,000 item for poll‑worker compensation adjustments tied to the higher equipment and staffing burden in major elections.

Commissioners asked several procedural questions about who sets hours and locations (the election commission has statutory discretion) and who pays: the county pays for local election operations. Commissioners and the administrator discussed options such as reducing the number of sites, keeping early voting hours but not full‑service convenience centers, or funding centers as a one‑time appropriation. Several commissioners emphasized the statutory independence of the election commission and warned that denying operations funding could create legal risk and service disruption. Others said the committee must weigh the county’s revenue limits and seek greater transparency and line‑item detail.

The committee left the request in the draft budget for publication so the public can review it in the statutory notice period, asked staff to provide a more detailed breakdown of recurring versus one‑time costs, and scheduled further review during the workshop cycle.

The committee did not vote to change the election commission’s statutory authority; it limited action to budgetary treatment and requested more detail from the election office.