Special Election costs for 61st NYS Senate Seat race in Erie County

Some state and federal grants assist with estimated $250,000 to $300,000 election cost

BUFFALO, N.Y. — With the special election for the 61st District State Senate seat between Democrat Jeremy Zellner and Republican Dan Gagliardo we at 2 On Your Side were curious about the coast factors  for a “special election.”

As it turns out a special election is expensive but its also required by law. 

We have seen the early voting days which drew in just over 7,800 voters and now Tuesday as the actual special Election Day, 

So right away we asked Erie County Republican Elections Commissioner Ralph Mohr about the cost and he told 2OYS, “We expect this election to cost somewhere in the neighborhood of $250,000 to $300,000 dollars. The vast majority of that cost being the payment for the election inspectors that we need at the poll sites…not only for today on election day but also for the early voting days.”   

He says that is for the four poll inspectors each for today’s 126 polling places in the district – some of which are consolidated to save money. Also Mohr says Erie County Elections uses in house staff to print its own ballots and moves its own voting machines to the polling places which in this case are in northern parts of the city of Buffalo, the towns of Amherst and Grand Island,  town and city of  Tonawanda and the villages of Williamsville and Kenmore. 

Mohr says grants can help with some costs but “It’s basically on the county taxpayers to bear the cost of the special elections. However there have been a number of grants that are made available through the state or through the federal government. And Erie County has been very aggressive in getting the grant money.”

Some of that can be used for return postage on the absentee ballots and election equipment updates. 

A special election may seem unnecessary to some but Mohr points out there is this consideration in this year as well with Congressional mid term, state legislature, and county legislature seats on the November ballot. “There is an urgency on the part of the people in office and the Governor to call a special election so that the individuals that comprise that district are represented for those important votes,” Mohr said.