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May 26, 2006

Election Commissioners Ask Legislature for Funding

By Jeremy Schwartz

Characterizing the situation as a “crisis,” the Dutchess County election commissioners went before the Dutchess County Legislature on May 22, asking for more than $750,000 in funding to administer this fall’s elections.

“We are facing some severe needs in the very near future,” said Republican Commissioner David Gamache.

Last summer, New York state passed legislation in response to the 2002 Federal Help America Vote Act that centralizes the responsibility of administering elections entirely with county boards of elections.

“The changes are more than dramatic. They have more than doubled our responsibilities,” said Gamache.

The Board of Elections will now be in charge of, among other responsibilities, the hiring and paying of election inspectors and custodians and servicing and transporting election machines, all previously under the purview of municipalities.

The board is asking the Legislature to approve $600,000 to create a variety of full and part-time positions.

“We cannot do this without additional staff,” said Gamache.

The board is proposing the creation of two full-time election supervisor positions, responsible for overseeing poll sites and the approximately 1,100 election inspectors. Two full-time election machine specialists, responsible for the maintenance of machines and software, would also be added.

A number of seasonal positions are in the proposal, including 50 election inspector coordinators to carry out responsibilities previously performed by town clerks, such as setting up polling sites and supervising election inspectors. The coordinators would act as a liaison between the board and the inspectors. The commissioners said these positions were modeled after a similar program in Monroe County.

Some legislators questioned whether 50 such coordinators were needed and asked for further clarification of responsibilities.

“I’m not sure I understand why it would be a job for 50 people,” said Legislator Marcus Molinaro (R-Red Hook).

Democratic Commissioner Fran Knapp said Dutchess is far behind other counties in terms of what other counties have budgeted to administer elections.

“Most county legislatures did budget at least some funding,” she said.

Legislature Chairman Brad Kendall (R-Dover/Union Vale) said the commissioners’ plan needed more detail.

“There are concerns about job descriptions and job titles. (The county requires this in its hiring policies) and I think we should hold the Board of Elections to the same standards,” he said.

Minority Leader Roger Higgins (D-Town of Poughkeepsie/Wappinger) said the majority of the Democratic caucus supported the commissioners’ plan. He blamed Republicans for waiting until the last minute to address the issue.

“What were they doing between January and June?” asked Higgins.

Kendall said it was the responsibility of the board to come up with a coherent plan.

“They’re the people in charge of the process. Today was closer, but there are still missing elements to the plan,” he said.

Also involved is the issue of whether the county will charge-back, or retroactively charge, municipalities any of the cost of administering elections.

Town of Poughkeepsie Supervisor Pat Myers (D) said many towns didn’t budget for election costs. She said she vigorously opposed chargebacks.

“It’s egregious that (the Legislature) would even consider this. In the past, we got to pick inspectors. You can’t ask us to fund something we have no say in,” she said.

The Board of Election proposal will be considered at the Legislature’s June meetings

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