DuPage election judges waiting on primary paychecks

More than 2,100 election judges who worked the Feb. 5 primary haven't been paid yet for their efforts.

Technical problems with a new management system and bureaucratic hoops caused the problem, DuPage County Election Commission officials said.

Checks will be mailed Friday, said Doreen Nelson, the election commission's assistant executive director.

Nelson said it usually takes about four weeks to process the election judge payroll, but this year the process was muddled by "glitches" in a new election management system.

"It's the first time doing payroll with it," she said.

On top of the problems with the new system, Nelson said pay reports have to go through a series of checks and balances before paychecks are mailed.

"It has to go through quite a few hands," she said.

Most of the judges are taking the delay in stride.

"I'm retired, so I guess it's supplemental income," said B. Ann Hageman, a Democratic election judge from Lombard. "But you always count on it when you know it's coming."

Judith Ross said the payment process has gotten longer since she first started working as an election judge in 1972.

"They've added so many precincts, it doesn't surprise me at all with the time it takes," the Downers Grove Republican election judge said. "Anyone that's doing election judging for the money is in the wrong business."

The election commission will pay nearly $300,000 to the 2,175 election judges who worked the primary. That works out to nearly $136 per judge.

The base pay for an election judge is $95, Nelson said. The judges who have passed a biannual test get an extra $30. Judges who drive to and from the election commission offices in Wheaton for supplies and equipment also get $15 per trip, plus mileage, she added.

County board member and finance committee Chairman Patrick O'Shea said he was aware of the technical issues encountered with the new system.

"I understood their problem in the delay would be a one-time delay and hopefully they'll get this straightened out immediately," he said. "Under the federal prompt payment act all government is to pay under a reasonable amount of time and I would think this should never happen again."

Nelson said she's been told the payroll problems encountered with the new system have been fixed.

"We worked hand-in-hand with the developers in getting through these idiosyncrasies," she said.

By the numbers

Here's a look at some of the figures associated with DuPage County election judges.

2,175:Number of Republican and Democrat election judges used for the Feb. 5 primary.

$295,654: Amount owed to the 2,175 election judges.

$95: Election judge base pay.

$30: Additional pay for judges who have passed bi-annual test.

60: Average age of DuPage County election judges.

38: Days between primary and checks being mailed.