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Elections director Shauna Dozier asks commissioners for $2.6M in 2027 election costs, flags equipment uncertainty
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Summary
Shauna Dozier, Clayton County elections director, requested roughly $2.6 million for FY2027 election administration, $130,000 for voter outreach and $175,000 for equipment modernization, and said recent state legislation left the county’s voting system in limbo pending a special session remedy.
Shauna Dozier, elections director for the Clayton County Board of Registration and Elections, told commissioners the office serves about 210,000 registered voters and requested approximately $2.6 million to run four elections in FY2027.
Dozier broke the estimate down to $1.3 million for the November general election, $500,000 for runoffs, $700,000 for a March special election and $100,000 for a potential special‑election runoff. She also asked for $130,000 to fund voter education and outreach that would cover high‑school registration drives and community events across the county, and $32,000 to support personnel training and certification.
Dozier said equipment modernization is a priority and that the office had earmarked $175,000 pending action at the state level. "Senate Bill 189 eliminated the QR code in our voting system which pretty much made our voting system obsolete," she said, and noted that Senate Bill 214 and House Bill 960 did not pass during the last cycle. "We understand there’s going to be a special session and that will determine how we move forward going into November," she added.
Dozier warned of operational risks if funding is not provided: reduced access and outreach, potential inefficiencies in election operations, and legal or compliance challenges if equipment does not meet legislative requirements. She recommended that the commission support the submitted budget as presented.
The commission did not take action on the request at the meeting; Dozier said a separate public hearing will be scheduled in the coming weeks where residents may comment on the proposed budget.
