MADISON COUNTY, Iowa–  The official tally is in for the price tag of last month’s Special Election in Madison County.

It was triggered after the Madison County Civic Alliance, a local group that describes itself on Facebook as a “bipartisan committee dedicated to fostering collaboration across political divides,” gathered enough signatures on its petition. The effort forced the August 26 Special Election, which challenged the Board of Supervisors’ appointment of Matthew Schwarz as County Auditor.

In the election, former Board Clerk Michele Brant won by a landslide and overturned the board’s inital 2-1 decision to appoint Schwarz.

Before the election took place, Board Chair Heather Stancil commented publicly- via her official Facebook- that the countywide vote would cost “at least $50,000,” all of which would be paid by taxpayers.

However, the final cost came in significantly lower at just under $13,000, according to documents obtained by WHO 13 via a FOIA request.

The total breakdown was as follows:

• Appointment Publication: $12.58 x 2 = $25.16
• Election Publication: $48.21 x 1 = $48.21
  • Total Publications: $73.37
• Ballot Printing: $1,684.98 x 1 = $1,684.98
• Additional Ballot Printing: $1,792.16 x 1 = $1,792.16
• Election Coding: $1,026.00 x 1 = $1,026.00
  • Ballots and Programming: $4,503.14
• Election Day Support: $2,250.00 x 1 = $2,250.00
• Public Testing Support: $2,000.00 x 1 = $2,000.00
  • Adkins Support: $4,250.00
• Canvass Book: $22.25 x 1 = $22.25
• Tally List: $3.75 x 5 = $18.75
  • Canvass Materials: $41.00
• Absentee Ballot Postage: $1.48 x 17 = $25.16
• Delivery Envelopes: $0.08 x 17 = $1.39
• Affidavit/Return Envelopes: $0.13 x 681 = $90.55
• Secrecy Envelopes: $0.21 x 681 = $144.71
• Postage Letters: $0.74 x 11 = $8.14
  • Absentee Materials: $269.94
• Ballot Bags: $0.80 x 20 = $16.00
  • Other: $16.00
• Polling Locations: $50.00 x 2 = $100.00
• Mileage: $157.36 x 1 = $157.36
• Election Officials: $3,539.90 x 1 = $3,539.90
  • Sites and Workers: $3,797.26
    • Grand Total $ 12,950.71

“There are no additional costs incurred that we are aware of that would be added,” said Madison County Elections Deputy Mikayla Simpson.  

According to county officials, the bulk of the expense, more than $8,700, went toward ballot printing, voting machine programming, and on-site support staff for election equipment.

“There was money budgeted, anticipating a Special Election, but that was for the Treasurer’s Office,” said Auditor Michele Brant during a Board meeting on Tuesday. “However, only $4,346 was budgeted.”

Kylee Barber was appointed to the position of Treasurer and so a Special Election for the position would not need to be held. Brant said there was no money budgeted for the city or school elections coming up.