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Elections director: new state‑mandated poll books and W‑2 treatment for election judges will raise FY27 costs
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Summary
Elections Director Jocelyn Abbott told commissioners an IRS mandate requires election judges to receive W‑2s (moving them to county payroll) and that new state‑mandated poll books add $112,180 to the FY27 budget; additional scanning equipment will be considered separately.
Worcester County Elections Director Jocelyn Abbott told commissioners the FY27 budget will reflect two structural changes: election judges will be paid through county payroll to meet IRS guidance requiring W‑2s, and the state’s roll‑out of new poll books will impose an FY27 cost of roughly $112,180 for Worcester County.
“We do now have our election judges covered in this area… they’ll go through county payroll, orientation, and all of the process that that entails,” Abbott said, explaining the IRS requirement that judges receive W‑2s rather than 1099s; she noted judges will not receive county fringe benefits but will be paid through payroll for accounting and tax reporting.
On equipment, Abbott said the state is providing new poll books this election cycle and the county’s budget will include the related cost: “It will give an increase of a 112,180. It would give us new poll books,” she said. She added the memo to be presented May 12 will outline whether the county will pay in full or use state or vendor financing (five‑year or three‑year options) and that the memo does not yet include prices for new scanning/scan units that would add further expense.
Next steps: the elections memo will be included in the May 12 budget work session with detailed financing options and any additional scanning‑unit costs.
