Election costs provide much needed revenue for special districts

Reimbursement for Election Costs – Absentee Ballots Local governments receiving reimbursement for the costs of “absentee ballots” is the second-oldest SB 90/ State Mandated Cost program, having been approved nearly 30 years ago (June 1981). With that said, it also appears to be one of the most under-claimed programs for special districts. Although nearly every county in the state of California and over 150 cities file for this program on an annual basis, less than 10 out of more than 2,500 special districts in California file Absentee Ballot claims. What makes this even more concerning is Absentee Ballots receives annual funding (in excess of $20 million) in the California State Budget as required by Proposition 1A.

The first test to see if you are eligible for reimbursement is to determine if your County Registrar of Voters is passing these costs to your district. About two-thirds of the state’s 58 counties are doing so. Some counties may not fully disclose costs or identify them as a line-item on your bill. We strongly recommend that districts review the election cost invoice and if necessary, contact the county registrar of voters for clarification.