Budget Preparation Communicating Data-Driven Costs

Cost Categories Staffing – permanent and temporary Equipment Postage, Supplies Facilities – utilities, security, storage

Cost Drivers # of elections # of voters # of precincts # of one-stop sites Higher numbers often lead to higher costs

Gathering Cost Data Measure, measure, measure Staffing costs What is the average time it takes to process one provisional voter on election day? One non-provisional voter? What is the historical turnout of voters assigned to that precinct? Does the county have a benchmark for voter wait times? How many judges and assistants are needed in order to process voters at historical turnout levels while meeting wait time goals?

Gathering Cost Data Voting Equipment Probably a capital expenditure Most counties spent over $100K on new equipment during HAVA implementation Capital expenditures = long range planning

Sample Data Analysis County-wide library system Library expansions & new construction Data to help decision-makers prioritize needs

Libraries: Prioritizing Locations The draft presentation provided by Frank Cope, Community Services Director for Wake County, will be available on the State Board of Elections’ ERC site in September 2013.

Summary Data-driven budget requests help others better understand needs. Keeping decision-makers informed aids short-term and long- term budget planning. Special thanks to Frank Cope, Community Services Director for Wake County. Questions?