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Monroe County election supervisor warns budget cuts could reduce voting services
Summary
Monroe County’s election supervisor told the council the current proposed budget is insufficient to run elections at expected levels, warning cuts would reduce early voting hours, polling sites and poll workers and limit security improvements.
Monroe County election supervisor Kylie Ferris told the County Council on Jan. 13 that the division’s budget under the current proposal would make it "simply not possible to run the kind of election that Monroe County voters deserve." Ferris urged the council to consider additional appropriations and said a reduction in funding would force cuts to early voting hours, reduce polling locations, increase wait times and leave too few poll workers at each site.
Ferris also outlined calendar and operational updates: candidate filing opened Jan. 7 and closes Feb. 6 at noon; annual CFA forms are due Jan. 21 at noon; and voter registration will move temporarily to Suite 203 on Feb. 9 while downstairs renovations continue, with a target move back in June.
"Reducing the amount of money appropriated to our division will mean reduction in early voting hours, normal wait times will increase, number of polling locations will be cut, and an insufficient number of poll workers at each location," Ferris said. She added cuts would make it difficult to implement security improvements the office views as necessary.
Councilors acknowledged the concern and noted the clerk may request additional appropriations; Ferris and the clerk plan to return to a future meeting to present further information if needed.
