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Elections director says recount exceeded $100,000; office plans voter‑education outreach
Summary
The elections director said the recent recount cost the city well over $100,000 and that many expenses were covered by other budgets; the office plans targeted voter‑education outreach to community groups and will provide registration and mail‑ballot counts to councilors on request.
Cynthia Scravani, the city’s elections director (identified in the agenda), briefed the Finance Committee on staffing, voter education and the financial impact of a recent recount. Scravani said she has not yet circulated a final tally of all recount costs but told councillors the total exceeded $100,000 and that the elections office worked with the law department and others to cover expenses.
Dr. Clarkson explained that some recount‑related costs were paid from the law department because special counsel supported the city’s recount work. He said the elections budget had a substantial surplus in prior years but that the recount required moving funds and accounting for extra costs; the department spent $173,000 of a $200,000 polls appropriation to date for the year, the administration said.
Scravani described outreach plans for FY27 that will target community organizations, churches and clubs to educate voters about registration and voting procedures; she also agreed to provide councillors requested figures such as the number of registered voters and mail ballots sent and processed. Councilors praised elections staff for their work during the recount and asked the director to share recommendations developed with outside counsel following the recount review.
Next steps: the elections director and CFO will provide councillors with requested registration and mail‑ballot numbers and circulate the recount expense report when complete.
