Saturday, April 6, 2013

What's the cost of early voting?

How much is it costing McHenry County residents for early voting? And how much per-vote?

As of yesterday at 4:00PM there had been on 88 voters to utilize the Dunham Township early-voting polling place in Harvard.

Early voting started on March 25 and runs through today. You can see the hours here. There are ten early-voting sites, and each one must be staffed (I was going to say "manned" but thought better of it) by at least one Republican and one Democratic election judge.

In addition, considerable electronic voting equipment and supplies must be delivered, maintained and picked up.

By closing time yesterday the Dunham Township site had been open for a total of 71 hours. For 88 votes. Could these 88 people have made it to the polls on April 9? Or voted absentee by mail, if they were to be out-of-town that day?

Even the polling places on Election Day are over-staffed, with the assignment of 5-6 judges in each precinct.

Perhaps this year the total cost of voting will be calculated and publicized. Then recommendations can be made how to reduce that cost.

I'll offer one right now. Eliminate early voting.

3 comments:

Ray said...

Gus wants fewer opportunities for people to vote.

I guess he thinks that getting more people to vote is not important.

Gus said...

"More" people don't vote, Ray, when there is early voting. I believe the same number of people vote; they just spread it out.

But you already knew that.

It's like 24-hour stores like Walgreen's and Wal-Mart. Same number of shoppers.

yagottabekidding said...

Got any proof of that?