The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1934-02-02
ELECTIONS

election costs reveal the loiloWiuS'
Rental of property ......$ 1890
Printing ........ 100000
Salary and Expense $3.50. 4S100
Qualifying ....... 276.00
Making Returns ......... 2100O
Returning Books ..... $1,000
Posting Notices ......... 10000
Overtime ........ 150S.50
Suspected Persons .. $500
Election and Registration 1732.O0
Moving Books ........... 5000
Delivery Ballot Boxes 49,. $500
Doorkeepers . 265.20
Carpenter ....'.. 1o9'i'
The books of the Treasurer of Cecil
County show the cost of the last gem
eral election to be S9,112.5S. When
you consider it cost the taxpayers OF
this County $50 for each vote cast at
this election it is apparent to the man
who pays these bills that something
should be done.
The first item of $4,000 we believe
could be almost entirely eliminated.
In one instance we paid $l00 rental
for property that is assessed for
$500, in two other instances we paid
500, in another 500, in another $126
and in still another STA. These
charges in our opinion are unconscion-
able yet unless affirmative action is
Ninue to make donations to certain
property owners.
Our contention in this matter has
been made known to the Board of
Election Supervisors who contend our
suggestion that elections be held in
the school buildings is not practical
AS a consequence they have refused
to adopt the plan although it could be
done under existing law. We own
- l,ex rNdi6
for them, and in our Judgment elec=
lions could be held therein without
damaging the properties In any way
The next item, printing $1,000, is
also out of reason. To correct this
situation and prevent it's recurrence
a measure was prepared and given our
Representatives in the Legislature
providing, the estimated require
ments be submitted to the bid of the
newspapers in Cecil County and that
"the contract be awarded this lowest
bidder" This Bill never made it's
exit from Committee.
The next item, salary $4S1, could be
reduced and Still compensate officials
for their service. To this end a Bill
was prepared and given our Repre-
sentatives providing for the, rate of
compensation to election officials re-
main as at present except that mo
salary should be paid them in the
years in which no elections are held"
It is not quite clear to Your Commit
tee why Election Supervisors, ,Attorn-
eys, Clerks. ETC., should be paid sal
aries in those years in which they
have no duties to perform. This Bill
also failed to make it's exit from Com
mittee.
The next items, qualifying $276,
making returns S270, returning books
$3.50, in the opinion of Your Commit
tee are absurd. Why an election Of
fetal who sacrifices but few min
utes of his time to qualify, make re-
turns or return books should be paid
in each instance the sum of $500 on
the theory he had sacrificed a day is
not made excusable by the fact that
1t is the taxpayers money being spent.
There probably is reason for a charge
of this kind by officials living in re-
mote districts as it probably takes
them the best part of a day. Our ex-
perience with election officials thru
out the County leads us to the conclu-
sion they desire to be paid only for
the service rendered and this is borne
out by the bills presented to the
Board of Election Supervisors. In a
great many instances bills presented
for $3.50, $2.40 and for other amounts
less than $500. These amounts were
changed by the Board of Election
Supervisors to $500 and when ex-
PLANTATION was requested they stated
this was done to place them on a uni
form basis. Your Committee wonders
if they would change an officials
charge from $500 to $500 for the
sake of uniformity if they were spend
ing their own money.
The next item, posting notices $4O5,
is ridiculous. The taxpayers are IA
miliar with the nature of the notice
and the places posted. We paid sixty
six of our officials 600 each for post
ing these notices. In the opinion of
Your Committee this is a most flag
rant waste of the Taxpayers money.
The item of overtime, S150S so, is
one of considerable Importance. The
law of this State provides that over
time shall be paid at the rate of $40
per hour yet this item is composed
entirely of overtime at the rate of
$50 per hour. Your Committee is
composed of men who have had more 4
or less experience about polling places
and have a fair idea of the work In
volved. We do not attempt to say
that $50 Is compensatory rate but
we have no hesitation in stating that
under the Act of Assembly, above re-
ferred to, the Board of Election SUPER
visors and the County Commissioners
had no right TO pay In excess Of that
amount. ~
1t seems to us. from a practical
that the manner Ii which
elections are conducted In this state
could be changed resulting In the ex-
peoSting Of returns and eliminating
entirely ths lem Is QYsgtima undel