Early voting kicked off this past weekend and across New York, local boards of elections are busy behind the scenes. Their goal: Ensure every voter who wants to cast a ballot can do so, smoothly and securely. But early voting is more than just showing up to cast a ballot.

“Staff put in a lot of hours and work to make sure poll sites have the supplies they need,” said Cassandra Bagramian, Democratic commissioner at the Saratoga County Board of Elections. “Voting machines are tested and accurately programmed. Electronic poll books are also set up correctly to avoid any snags for voters.”

County boards of elections spend months preparing, ensuring every detail, location, equipment and security detail is covered.

“We could be dealing with a church, a community center, or a school,” said Joseph Suhrada, Republican commissioner at the Saratoga County Board of Elections. “There are people to coordinate with far in advance, sometimes many months out.”

New York law requires at least one early voting site per every 30,000 registered voters. And since the state debuted early voting in 2019, millions have taken advantage, boosting turnout and reducing Election Day pressures. Presidential and statewide elections typically see the biggest spikes.

But even with added flexibility and convenience, early voting comes at a price, and budgets vary by county.

“It costs between $5 and $7 per voter to run early voting,” said Henry Zwack, Republican commissioner at the Rensselaer County Board of Elections. “It’s the most expensive form of election we conduct.”

At the state level, nearly $94 million is dedicated for early voting mandates, upgrading technology and reimbursing counties.

“Ballot paper, inspectors, training, cell service for iPads, seals for voting machines, paper, it all adds up with consumables and staffing,” said Bagramian.

For boards of elections staff, the season never ends. As soon as one election wraps up, planning begins for the next. Through it all, their mission remains the same: Keep voting fair, accessible and seamless every time New Yorkers head to the polls.