Special election has Kane Co. elections dept. in $680,000 hole

Because mostly of the cost of March's special election, the county clerk's office will need $680,000 more in its budget to finish out November's election.

The elections department has already spent most of its budget for the year, which starts in December, County Clerk Jack Cunningham told the county board's public service committee Monday.

The special 14th Congressional District election in March likely cost about $480,000, but it's difficult to separate that from February's special primary, Chief Deputy Clerk Jay Bennett said.

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The elections department's annual budget is about $1.5 million.

Committee member Phil Lewis, a St. Charles Republican, asked why election officials were asking for more than the price of the special election.

The cost of adding a special primary to February's vote cost more as well, Cunningham said.

"We need this money to finish out our year-end," he said.

Already over budget this year are overtime pay, election judges and workers' pay, equipment rental and advertising.

Also over budget was the department's computer software budget, but that expense was approved by the board. Extra software was bought that will assign bar codes to ballots, which will reduce human error, Cunningham said.

Many voters complained of problems during the February election, mostly residents getting ballots that included only federal offices and not local ones.

The proposal for extra funds now goes to the county board's finance committee.