Cole County Commission approves minimum-wage pay, mileage for election judges

The Cole County Commission voted July 14 to pay election judges at least the applicable minimum wage and to reimburse mileage when a judge travels more than 10 miles, officials said.

The change followed a discussion led by Steve Korsmeyer about compensation for election judges. "Commissioner Otto made a motion to meet the minimum wage requirement for Election Judges. Pay mileage to the extent it exceeds 10 miles and the mileage rate is the same rate that we use for the county employees," the motion record shows. Commissioner Hoelscher seconded the motion and the vote was recorded as Commissioner Bushman (Yes), Commissioner Hoelscher (Yes), Commissioner Otto (Yes).

The vote implements two specific directives: election judges will be paid at least the jurisdiction's minimum-wage requirement (the transcript did not specify which statutory minimum) and the county will pay mileage only for trips exceeding 10 miles, calculated at the same mileage rate used for county employees. The motion passed unanimously.

County staff did not provide a dollar figure for the new per-judge pay rate in the meeting record, nor did the minutes specify whether the minimum wage referenced is the state or federal rate. The motion language and minutes instead tie pay to "the minimum wage requirement," and set the mileage threshold and rate. Any administrative steps required to implement the pay change were not detailed at the meeting.

The item was part of routine administrative business at the July 14 session. The Commission later entered closed session for real estate and personnel matters and adjourned at 4:30 p.m.