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The High Cost of Elections in Delaware

Don Rush

WILMINGTON, Del. (AP) - Delaware officials project the cost of handling elections this year will reach $3 million.
    
Media outlets report that much of that money is spent on personnel and transporting voting machines.
    
Officials say the job is never easy or cheap despite the fact that Delaware has only three counties.
    
Besides the general election in November, Delaware held its presidential primary in April. A statewide primary is scheduled for Sept. 13. There are other local contests as well.
    
Take New Castle County as an example. Officials say primaries can require as many as 2,000 employees to help votes get cast and counted. An additional 500 are needed for general elections. Each employee requires a daylong training session.
    
Transporting polling machines alone will cost New Castle County $77,000.

This year, the state estimates the three county offices and the department of elections will spend a combined $3 million on elections. 

Kent is budgeted for a $666,000 total, Sussex for $537,500, New Castle for $1.6 million and the department of the Commissioner of Elections will spend an additional $152,400 to fill in the gaps and handle affairs that cross county lines.

Don Rush is the News Director at Delmarva Public Media. An award-winning journalist, Don reports major local issues of the day, from sea level rise, to urban development, to the changing demographics of Delmarva.