Cole County election judges will see a healthy raise come August, the Cole County Commission decided Tuesday morning.
At its regular weekly meeting, the commission heard from Cole County Clerk Steve Korsmeyer, who told commissioners that election judges at the county's 28 polling places need to make more money. Election judge compensation was last updated in 2019, with election judges making $120 per day and election supervisors making $150 a day.
Election judges have grueling days when called upon, according to Korsmeyer. Regular judges are on the clock from 5:15 a.m. until after 7 p.m., when the polls close. For supervisors, election days usually amount to around 15 hours of work.
Under previous pay scales, regular judges made about $8.50 an hour, with supervisors making $10 an hour. The commission gave Korsmeyer approval to increase judges' pay rate to $15 an hour, which would work out to about $220, with supervisors making about $250.
Judges will still be compensated for mileage if their post requires them to drive more than 10 miles round-trip. Korsmeyer said mileage reimbursement isn't an issue for in-town precincts, but added that judges often have to drive from Jefferson City to Russellville or Eugene because no other judges live in those precincts.
"They don't do it for the money, I think the majority of them do it because they want to do it and help," Korsmeyer told the commission.
The county has about $46,000 in its election budget after the April municipal election ran up a tab of about $12,000. With the increase in salary, the budget will need to be reworked, Korsmeyer and commissioners said.
The primary election on Aug. 4 and the general election in November are estimated to cost about $31,000 each, provided voter turnout reaches around 40 percent.
The county does not eat the entire cost of elections, and the actual impact on the county's budget will vary by election.
The state pays for a large share of local elections when statewide races, constitutional amendments or races for Missouri House and Senate seats are on the ballot. For example, the state will pay about half of the cost for August and November elections because of the statewide race for auditor, a slew of constitutional amendments, and state senate and house races on the ballot in Cole County.
While the state will pay for half of the election costs, election judge salaries are determined by the county.
"It's good that we get to put this mandate on the state because they're always putting mandates on us," Western District Commissioner Harry Otto said. "Let them share in this expense."
The remaining cost for the August primary would be split between the county and Jefferson City, which will pay to include a 10-year extension of its Capital Improvement Sales Tax on the ballot.
Reimbursement received by the county often depends on voter turnout, Korsmeyer said, as the Clerk's Office charges political subdivisions per vote cast in each election.
When election judge pay rates were last changed in 2019, they were raised to align with the Missouri state minimum wage, which was $8.60 an hour at the time. Commissioners said they plan to tie both the mileage reimbursement and hourly wage to the state mileage reimbursement level and minimum wage, respectively.
In other business, the commission:
Reappointed Otto as Cole County's representative on the Mid-Missouri Regional Planning Commission.
Approved grants from the Missouri State Emergency Management Agency awarded to the Cole County/Jefferson City Emergency Management Agency. The funds, provided by the Federal Department of Homeland Security, will pay for a badge printer and ID marker for use in emergency operations, technology upgrades in the agency's Mobile Emergency Operations Center, a portable radio cache and funding for the agency's Hazmat team.
Approved a $500 increase in a Hazardous Moving Violation Enforcement Grant awarded by the Missouri Department of Transportation to the Cole County Sheriff's Office.
Approved Cole County Public Works to begin removing debris from rights of way in Osage City. The small unincorporated community, which is bisected by the Osage River and falls partly in Cole and Osage counties, was hit hard by severe storms over Independence Day weekend. Residents and county crews are clearing the debris and have requested assistance from the county in disposing of it. The debris will be taken to the Capital Area Rail Terminal before its eventual disposal.
Entered closed session to discuss real estate and personnel issues.
A full recording of Tuesday's meeting can be viewed at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y1LqEJwXVRA. Cole County Commission meetings are held weekly at 9 a.m. on Tuesday on the second floor of the Cole County Courthouse Annex, 311 E. High St.