Auditor releases guidance on reimbursements for early voting expenses

An early voting sign outside Boston City Hall

A supplemental fiscal 2018 budget signed by Gov. Charlie Baker on Oct. 23 includes an appropriation to reimburse municipalities for early voting costs for the 2018 general election period.

State Auditor Suzanne Bump’s Division of Local Mandates has issued guidance to city and town clerks to explain the costs that are eligible for reimbursement under a mandate determination the office issued in February 2017. The clerks are urged to track these expenses carefully in order to provide a timely response to the auditor’s survey.

The Division of Local Mandates plans to send out a survey after the election, in mid-November, to certify municipal costs that are eligible for reimbursement. The sooner the office gets responses from all 351 communities, the sooner it can give the data to the Secretary of the Commonwealth to distribute the funds related to the mandate reimbursement.

The supplemental budget law includes $2.5 million to cover part of the cost of implementing early voting for the statewide election in November, including costs incurred by the secretary of state’s office and local costs that have been determined to be an unfunded state mandate.

• Link to early voting reimbursement guidance website

For more information, contact Division of Local Mandates Director Ben Tafoya at 857-242-5428 or ben.tafoya@sao.state.ma.us.